Almarëa
by Elen-Silver Star
Summary: There were so many things she needed to know. So many things she wished she remembered. And so many things that still remained secret. And yet, even in the forests of Mirkwood, the powerful blue-stoned ring, Vilya keeps calling to her, and her father, King Thranduil seems to know things he is not yet willing to share... Sequel to Elerrina, ElladanXOC
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The Queen of Mirkwood was running. Her feet moved swiftly over the cold stone floor, almost desperately, curving in and out of hallways. The deep blue velvet of her night robes tangled with her legs, flying behind her as she ran. Screams. Voices yelling orders. Loud noises echoes in the majestic stone walls, their words incomprehensible. Frightened screams were swallowed by pleas of mercy, hanging like a taunting smoke on the cold night air. Figures running. Swords clashing. Arrows flying.

Bodies. So many bodies, male and female, dashed through the hallways, running into each other in a chaotic disorder. So many bodies lay lifelessly on the hard stone floor, or gasping their last breath among the living souls. The Lady kept running, not sparing a look back as she squeezed in between the masses of running warriors and screaming maids. Her golden hair twirled behind her, long strands out of place, tangling with the tiny jewels that adorned her braids.

Her right hand held tightly to the tiny hand of a crying elfling, pulling him along with her as his tiny feet struggled to catch up with her long steps. His large sky blue eyes looked left and right, crystal tears stained by the ashes that floated in the air, his wails muted by the loud noises of the fiery battle that filled the palace.

Her other hand carried the fragile body of a baby against her chest, using a white silk blanket as only means of protection from the harsh air. The baby cried, but the elegant Lady did not pay attention to her newborn daughter as she guided both of her children through the infernal stone corridors. Every elf was running, not paying attention to their surroundings, to who ran next to them; Lords and servants, Ladies and maids, all together in a desperate run. Some of them cried, some yelled, some anxiously tried to find a loved one in the midst of the chaos. A group of warriors ran past her, swords raised, ready to strike, but she did not turn to look as she heard the clashing of metal hitting metal only a couple of feet behind her.

"Arahaelon!" She shouted as she saw the familiar face of her first-born son suddenly appear through the mass of running elves. He ran to her, easily avoiding the running maids and servants, alert green eyes filled with worry and fear.

Immediately he picked the crying elfling in his strong arms and the tiny pair of hands quickly locked around his neck, feeling secure in his older brother's safe grip. The Crown Prince's eyes glanced quickly around them before placing one arm around the golden haired Lady's shoulder and reassuming their run. The elfling kept wailing, scared, his face now buried in Arahaelon's shoulder, their strands of hair of the same light blond color tangling together.

The Queen of Mirkwood could not tell exactly where the battle was taking place at the moment, could not tell where in the palace the enemies had already infiltrated as she ran along hundreds of elves towards the safety of the underground passages. But safety seemed so far away, so unreachable.

"Where are Lossenel and Tadion?!" She yelled, her voice almost inaudible in the chaos as she used now both of her arms to hold her crying baby daughter tighter against her chest.

"Lossenel is safe!" Was the short answer while Arahaelon pushed all of them to the ground just in time as a large rock broke through a large crystal window.

There was an unmistakable edge of fear in his usually serene voice as all of his senses seemed sharper now, wide alert to his surroundings. A surprised cry escaped the Queen's lips as shattered crystal rained over them, some of them cutting through their skin. One of the larger pieces opened a large cut just before the Crown Prince's right ear, but he did not seem to notice. The elfling wailed louder, his tiny hands holding tighter to his eldest brother's neck.

"It is alright, Legolas" The Lady soothed the crying elfling as her eyes shot up to meet those of her eldest son.

"Where is Tadion?!" She repeated her unanswered question as they rose to their feet once more. Her voice betrayed her frantic worry and panic, and her green eyes pleaded her son for an answer. "Where is your brother?!"

"I do not know! He ran upstairs, I was going after him!" His green eyes looked frantically to left and right as they once again ran down the now unrecognizable long corridors.

Some of the walls had tumbled down, some staircases now completely blocked. The sounds of the fight were closer to them, making it impossible to know where was it safe to run. There was no time to waste. Another group of elven warriors ran past them, swords ready in their hands.

"The King is still in the council room! All entrances have been blocked!" She heard one of the warriors informing the others as they disappear in the crowd of running bodies.

"Nana, Ada is fine!" Arahaelon yelled at the Queen as she turned her head in the direction of the warriors, his free hand pushing her to keep running forward.

"My Lady!" A tall blond elf still in dress robes grabbed her arm, pulling her to the left into an opened doorway. "This way! A wall collapsed some feet ahead, if you keep going you will find a dead end!"

The elf guided her through the opened door, leading her down the stone spiraling staircase normally used by the servants. She stopped three steps down, turning to look behind her as a maid suddenly stopped by them.

"Sidhel, this way!" The Queen yelled at the maid. Arahaelon carefully handed the crying Legolas to Sidhel, the elfling quickly shifting his grip from around his brother's neck to around the maid's who quickly started to descend down the stone stairs towards her Queen.

"Your Highness!" Another group of guards shouted as they appeared dawn the hallway, stopping by the Crown Prince. Arahaelon turned quickly in their direction, pulling a long shiny sword out of its sheath before turning to glance at his mother one last time.

"Your Majesty, keep going!" The blond elf at the door urged her. The Queen could feel Sidhel's hand grabbing hers, pulling her down a couple of steps as she was torn in between continuing or running back to her son.

"My son!" She yelled, her face looking behind her as Sidhel pulled her quickly down the steps. "Arahaelon!"

"I have to find Tadion!" He shouted, throwing her one last glance before disappearing into a run back the way they had come, the group of warriors following him.

She heard the door close at the top of the stairs, but it was no longer visible to them as they spiraled downwards. The Lady did not turn to look, but she could tell that the blond elf that had opened the door was not following them, probably gone to join the others in battle.

Then a flash of light dashed through the air, blinding everything out with a power larger than she had ever witnessed. It seemed to blow her against the stone with an unimaginable force, muting every single sound, shaking the walls and floors, slapping her hair widely against her face. She felt Sidhel's body next to her, holding onto the elfling as tightly as she held her baby, both of them unable to move against the powerful blinding force. A single name crossed the Queen's mind at this power she knew existed although had never witnessed before: Thranduil.

Finally here is chapter 1 for the second part of the story! I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think of it!

Love,

Elena


	2. The Song of the Forest

The cool night breeze toyed gently with her hair as she stood at the large balcony. It had stopped snowing some hours ago, and a thick layer of white covered the forest of Mirkwood, shimmering in pale silvers and blues under the dark blue sky. It was quiet. The only sound that reached her ears was the soothing lullaby of the wind as it caressed her face, playing a serene tune for the sleeping trees to sway in an enchanting waltz.

Elerrina let her eyes absently fall on the sleeping realm of Mirkwood. It was still an hour before the first rays of sunrise would wash over the forest. The sight held a beauty that only some months ago she had never dreamt she would see. And yet, it was right in front of her eyes now, right under the large balcony at her bedchamber in the palace. By dawn every elf in Mirkwood would know about her. The King had not yet formally presented her, but word had already started to spread since the moment of her arrival at the palace the day before. Part of her was scared, part of her confused. She had not idea what to expect, had no idea how to be the Princess they would expect her to be.

She shook her head slightly, forcing her thoughts into a different direction. The last hour of darkness felt oddly comforting, shielding her in her solitude. She had tried to sleep, but after long hours lying silently on her bed she finally recognized that sleep would not take her. The few times she had been about to give into the arms of sleep, the fresh image of the stream in the forest brought her back into the waking world.

Slowly, Elerrina turned around and headed back inside the elegant chamber. The pale cream curtains framing the balcony swayed lightly at the silent breeze, casting pearl white reflections on the polished marble floor. Letting out a sigh she headed out of the chamber and into the long corridor outside.

She did not really know where she was going, the twins would be sleeping by now, as well as Legolas and her other siblings. Walking through the deserted corridors of the palace felt more comforting that staying in that overly large chamber by herself. The tall thin columns seemed more delicate now in the emptiness of the night, the hallways wider and longer. Somehow, this cold emptiness felt friendly, like the only witnesses of her lonely walk.

Her feet seemed to take her body on their own, her mind not really paying attention to where she was headed as she descend an elegant staircase. She only noticed where she was when she had reached a small empty terrace leading out to one of many gardens that surrounded the palace.

The pale moonlight filtered through the pointed archway that framed the terrace, falling delicately over the elegant pieces of furniture that filled it. The wind had lifted some of the white snowflakes and deposited them at the edge of the terrace's floor, creating a thin white borderline over the few steps that reached to the grass below.

Silently, she made her way to a long chaise placed in one corner of the terrace. Her eyes carefully studied the gardens ahead, which resembled more of a free growing forest than a real garden. The forest of Mirkwood held an enchanting allure to it, both beautiful and at the same time frightening. Here, the song of the trees was louder than it ha been in Imladris, as if they could actually speak with one another, whispering secrets into the wind. And yet, the song did not felt strange to her ears. It felt natural to listen to it, it felt soothing and welcoming, as if the tall trees were singing only for her, knowing that she was listening.

"They chant beautifully, do they not?"

Elerrina jumped slightly at the unexpected voice, startled. She turned her head to look back in the direction of the speaker, surprised to see the tall regal figure of the Elvenking standing still beside one of the delicate columns that framed the entrance into the terrace. She quickly rose to her feet, not knowing how to react to this unexpected visitor. She did not know for how long he had been standing there and felt slightly embarrassed for not having acknowledged his presence before. She had been so immersed in her thoughts she had not even heard him approach.

His long light blond hair fell unbraided down his back, the silver moonlight glittering on the long strands, making them look paler than usual. No crown rested on his head, but that detail did nothing to lessen the royal aura that seemed to float around him. Ice blue eyes stared patiently into hers, so deep and powerful that she felt extremely young under those impenetrable eyes that gleamed with the experience of many millennia.

"I am sorry, I did not hear…" She started but he gracefully held up a hand to stop her unnecessary apology.

"May I join you?" He asked, a kind smile appearing in his fair face as one of his hands motioned to the chaise upon which she had been sitting only seconds ago.

Elerrina quickly nodded her head as a reply, suddenly feeling at a loss of words at the presence of this elf that was both the King of Mirkwood and her father. She watched in silence as the Elvenking gracefully moved to where she stood, every movement naturally effortless. His long formal robes swirled elegantly behind him, the rich green fabric carefully embroidered in golden thread. Elerrina lowered herself on the chaise once again and he sat next to her, facing the gardens outside.

"You are up early" He commented as he turned to look at her, infinite blue eyes seeming to penetrate into hers, so familiar and yet so strange. His voice was soft, as serene and quiet as his movements.

"I could not sleep" Was her simple answer as she stared back into his powerful impenetrable eyes. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, and yet she could not gather the courage to do so.

"I am sorry to hear that. Perhaps you can get some sleep later today." He added with a gently smile, his eyes staring softly at her, so powerful and at the same time so kind and welcoming.

She nodded her head as a reply, and wished she could think of something else to say. The Elvenking remained silent for a moment, not pushing her for a conversation. She wondered at what was the King doing up this early in the morning, but could not get herself to ask him. Suddenly she noticed that this small terrace was far too elegant and secluded to be one of the large public terraces that adorned the palace, and she suddenly felt that she was invaded some private space where she should not have been.

"Do they always sing like that?" She said looking at the peacefully swaying trees. She wished she had come up with a better thing to say, but the Elvenking simply smiled at her, not minding the question at all.

"Not always. Sometimes they do, other times they are quiet. Nobody really knows why. The forest sings whenever it pleases."

Elerrina nodded her head as a response letting her eyes turn once again to the gardens. She could feel the King's eyes on her for moment before also turning his gaze ahead. Silence settled over them once more, the soft breeze bringing the soothing lullaby of the trees.

"My Lord?" She said hesitantly, not really knowing how else to address him. Calling him father felt strange, and no matter how much she wanted to able to call him that, her mouth would simply not say it. And yet, calling him by his formal title of King felt too distant and she did not want to push him away.

"Yes?" He turned his head to face her, his expression open and serene. Infinite ice blue eyes stared at her patiently, so welcoming and kind and yet so unreadable. Whatever he thought of the way she had chosen to address him invisible in his perfectly controlled expression.

"Would you tell me about me?" He raised a fine eyebrow at her request, but his small smile did not disappear from his face.

"And what would you like to know?" His voice was soft, so peaceful and royal.

"Anything"

She had not really thought of what she wanted to hear. She simply wanted to hear a story about her early childhood, needed to hear something to make her believe that she had indeed been born in this land. She needed it for everything to seem real. He let out a breath and turned his eyes to the gardens once again, a smile on his face.

"You were never much of a trouble maker. You were mostly easy to please, nothing really bothered you, but when something did not please you, you had not problem in letting the entire forest know about it." He turned his eyes to look at her and she felt a smile appearing on her face as he continued to speak.

"You were mostly a happy child, never cried much. You could sleep anywhere, anytime, even in the most uncomfortable places, except at your own cozy crib at night. I was about to go insane." She let out a light laugh and his smile widened.

"I am sorry about that." She said still laughing and the King of Mirkwood let out a single chuckle as he shook his head.

"I once found you inside a drawer." Her eyes instantly widened and he let out another musical chuckle. "Apparently you had been left playing with Legolas in Tadion's chambers but you were crying and not being much fun. And so his solution was to pick you up and place you in a drawer. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer looking for something and instead found you fast asleep over Tadion's tunics."

She burst out in laughter at the story, her eyes wide in surprise and shock. The Elvenking also let out a light laugh, ice blue eyes staring deeply at her, as if the story gave him pleasant memories. One of his hands reached out and gently placed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

"I cannot believe he did that!" She complained between chuckles, and he shook his head while laughing.

"I could not either. He was grounded after that, and received a very long lecture. He was only an elfling at the time. Tadion thought it was hilarious and kept commenting on how he had never thought of doing that himself. You were their favorite toy, and many times the victim of their pranks. They would do anything to get your attention."

She smiled at his words, trying to imagine the scenes he was describing and wishing she could remember any of it. The sun was starting to rise in the horizon, casting pale pink shadows on the snowy gardens and trees.

"What was her name?" She asked in a barely audible voice. The Elvenking turned his head in her direction once more.

"Pardon me?"

"My mother, I mean. What was her name?" She asked again, suddenly regretting her question as the smile slowly disappeared from his face.

"Alarya" He said simply, his expression unreadable. The name rang a bell in her head. She had read it in the Lord Elrond's letters back in Imladris, but had forgotten.

The sound of approaching rushed footsteps caught the Elvenking's attention, and he turned his head in the direction of the newcomer. She saw his face once gain become serious, his expression serene and composed, and yet his eyes were once again impenetrable, cold and powerful.

A tall blond elf suddenly came into view, stopping at the entrance of the terrace. She recognized his face, although she did not know who he was. She had seen him before interacting with the King, and his long formal robes indicated that he was one of the high-ranking elves at the palace. The elf's dark blue eyes did not look at her as he focused only on his King, his expression betraying some kind of urgency.

"Your Majesty" The elf said with a small bow of his head, eyes looking directly at the Elvenking as the latter rose to his feet.

The Kings eyes pierced into the newcomer's dark blue eyes, something about their exchange of looks telling her that the King already knew they reason why his presence was sought. Without saying anything, the blond elf nodded his head silently, seeming to answer an unspoken question.

"Excuse me" The Elvenking said to her suddenly, turning his head to look at her for a moment before making his way to where the other elf stood, both of them disappearing in a rush.

Elerrina remained frozen in place, her mind trying to understand what had just happened. Suddenly she had the feeling that the King had not been awake so early by coincidence. Suddenly, she comprehended that he had probably been waiting for this elf to come looking for him, had been waiting for some information that had been silently delivered in that simple nod of the head.

Out in the gardens the sun was starting to rise over the heavy canopy of the forest, the trees now once again silent. A chilled morning breeze blew her face, and for a second, she though she could hear a very familiar whisper carried faintly in the distance, almost as if it was a fragment of her imagination: Vilya.

And so the story begins! Here is chapter 2! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think!

Thank you deeply to all those of you who reviewed the first chapter of the story: shopgirllaura, Elf sister, Paperlanterns86, wonderpanda10, ILoveEomer 3, She Elf of Hidden Lore, dandapanda, ForbiddenShadow0, AmazingWriter123, Martine9295, Jibril, Coco99, The Grimreaper PT, gossipghurl, Wtiger5, SarahWeasley, K&Y, CeffylGwynn, Jasperslittlesister, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, KittenEm, and luckyponygirl. Your comments truly mean a lot to me, thank you!

Also, Jibril, gossipghurl and xX-MissyMoo-Xx, I can't send you a personal reply to your reviews, but want to thank you for them, and let you know that it makes me very happy to know that you are enjoying the story!

Love,

Elena


	3. As Dawn Comes

Elerrina remained sitting quietly, the faint echo of the distancing footsteps still ringing in her ears. The royal image of the Elvenking rushing down the hallway behind the strange blond elf remained fresh in her head, the cold powerful look in his ice blue eyes still engraved in her mind. Outside, the golden daylight washed over the white snow in the gardens, and she could catch the sounds of the awakening elves as they started their day. The trees had once again gone silent, swaying delicately at the soothing morning breeze, their melodic serenade under the black night sky only a memory for those who had witnessed it.

She rose from the chaise on which she had been sitting letting out a silent sigh. The day was already starting and that meant she would no longer be the only once awake in the palace. She made her way through the long corridors, not really remembering the way back, but not really caring where she ended up. She was actually surprised when she found herself walking once again down the familiar long corridor that led to her chambers.

The corridor was empty, the five elegant doors shut close and the only sound that reached her ears was the light echo of her own silent footsteps. She let her eyes carefully study each one of the doors, wondering over the detailed patterns that were carved in them, each one seeming to be more beautiful than the one before. She did not know which door led to which of her sibling's chambers and for a moment she wished she did.

Elerrina paused for a second as she reached the delicately carved door that led to her own chambers. Her hand lingered above the golden doorknob for a moment, but she let it fall to her side once more, not really feeling like going inside. Instead, she made her way to the balcony at the end of the corridor, leaning her weight on the frail railing as she absently overlooked the forest of Mirkwood.

The deaf sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. Immediately her lips curved up into a smile as she recognized who it was without needing to turn around to look. She felt a pair of strong arms circling around her waist from behind, gently pulling her close a tall body. A soft chuckle escaped her lips and she let herself lean against Elladan's chest as he pressed a light kiss on her cheek.

"Good morning" His musical voice whispered softly in her left ear.

She turned around in his arms and pressed her lips to his. Endless silver eyes stared deeply into hers, and she let herself drown in them, unable to look away even if she had wanted to. She could tell that he knew she had not slept, but he did not say anything as she entwined her fingers with his, his silver eyes never leaving hers.

"Where is everyone?" She asked as her eyes signaled to the closed doors aligned in the elegant corridor. He raised a perfect eyebrow at her question and his lips curved into one of his characteristic playful smiles.

"I thought my presence was enough for you." He said teasingly as his eyes narrowed slightly, silver irises sparkling with mischief. His arms wrapped behind her back, pulling her closer to him as he spoke.

"Dan!" She could not contain a chuckle from escaping her lips as she slapped him playfully in the shoulder. His musical laugh floated in the air as a response, the sound the sweetest she had ever heard.

"Everyone is downstairs having breakfast." He explained with a smile "Come, let us go join them before they eat all the good pastries" He turned to leave, his hand still holding to hers.

"Dan" Her voice was low as she pulled lightly at his hand, stopping him in his march. He turned instantly to face her, silver eyes studying her attentively, the playful sparkle quickly replaced by concern as he caught the change in her tone.

"What is it?" his voice was barely audible as he closed the distance between them. She felt one of his hands gently travel to rest on her cheek, his alert eyes searching into hers. She stared into his piercing silver eyes for a moment before she was able to speak again.

"I heard the wind this morning" Her voice was so low she was not sure it was even making a sound, but the way in which his silver eyes seemed to penetrate her told her that he was listening. "I heard _it_"

For a moment she only started into his eyes, green and silver piercing into each other, communicating him exactly what she meant by 'it'. She know she should not mention Vilya out loud, not even to Elladan who knew of its existence, especially when being outside of Imladris. The faint echo of the ring's whispers was still fresh in her mind. It had sounded so distant, so feeble, but it had been there.

She saw new flash of worry cloud Elladan's silver eyes, mixing with puzzlement and alarm as he stared at her, completely understanding her message. She knew there was nothing to be done on the matter. Neither of them could do anything about it, and nothing had really happened, but still she felt she needed to let him know.

"It should not have been possible"

He had drawn closer to her now, his voice nearly inaudible as his endless silver eyes stared worriedly into hers, slightly alarmed. Not knowing what to answer, she merely reached her hand to rest lightly over his on her cheek. She simply looked into his eyes, all of her worry, anxiety and puzzlement visible in her green eyes.

"Rina, do not worry about it for now." He added almost instantly at her worried expression, the look in his piercing silver eyes softening although she could still see a faint of caution and concern gleaming in their depths. Elladan then leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips momentarily making her forget everything else. He took her hand in his once more, giving it a gentle squeeze as he started to lead her down the corridor.

She followed Elladan through the long hallways of the palace. He moved through the labyrinth of pointed arches and open balconies with incredible ease, knowing exactly where everything was located. To any observer, the palace could have been his home and not hers.

It did not take them long to reach a large pair of carefully crafted wooden doors. Her first impression was surprise at the lack of noise. She did not know exactly what she had been expecting, but the clear absence of the usual low chorus of voices immersed in conversation that filled the dinning room of Imladris was not present here. Instead, she could clearly understand four familiar voices, their tones light and friendly, almost like and understandable melody.

Elladan opened one of the large doors and let her go in first before following close behind. Inside, the room was large. Thin columns stretched from the ground, branching out in the shapes of trees and leaves to trace the patterns of a golden forest canopy forming the ceiling. She was almost surprised to see only one large table placed in the center of the room, a wide variation of golden vases and plates containing all sorts of fruits, cheeses, breads and pastries resting over the delicate ivory tablecloth.

She could see Elrohir, Legolas, Tadion and Lossenel already sitting at the table, the four of them looking up from their casual conversation as they heard them enter the piece. The elegant and private atmosphere of the room told her that this was the dinning room where the royal family had their meals, and not the main dinning room of the palace.

"Good morning" Elrohir and Legolas said animatedly in unison as Elladan led her towards the table. Her eyes fell on Lossenel, only to find the Princess' sparkling ice green-blue eyes fixed on hers, a perfect small smile adorning her flawless face. Her expression was unreadable, her ice colored eyes impenetrable, but her smile was genuine, even if it was small.

Elladan pulled out the chair to the right of Elrohir for her to sit, directly across from Lossenel. However, before she could even sit on the chair, Tadion had risen to his feet from his seat next to Lossenel.

"Almarëa, please take my seat. Lossie and I would love to sit next to you this morning and get to know you better." He said in a polite, gentle tone, the one belonging to the Prince of Morkwood he was. And yet, the daring gleam in his clear blue eyes as he threw a glance at Elladan made her completely understand the intention behind his actions.

Elerrina could not help but smile, trying her best to suppress her laughter as she took the offered seat. Tadion instantly moved to take the vacant spot to her left side, leaving her sandwiched in between him and Lossenel. She could see Elrohir biting on a pastry in attempt to not laugh. Legolas' bell like chuckles freely filled the room as Elladan silently took the seat next to his twin shaking his head lightly, silver eyes narrowed at Tadion and a grin of defeat flashing in his handsome face. One of the two maids that had been silently standing at the side of the large doors quickly moved through the room, moving Tadion's plate and glass to his new seat and placing clean ones for her to use.

"Sorry about that" Lossenel's soft musical voice whispered lowly to her, in a volume she knew only she was able to hear. Her eyes found hers again, ice green-blue irises filled with light, so stunning and dazzling. "Would you like me to trade places with Elladan?"

"It is alright." She answered with a smile, unable to take her eyes from the gorgeous Princess that was also her older sister.

Platinum hair cascaded down her back in collection of neat braids, adorned with tiny pearls that hung from delicate silver threads tangled in her braids. The golden topaz color of her dress complimented beautifully her pale skin, making her seem to glow with light. Everything about her seemed so delicate and royal Elerrina had a hard time believing she was related to her.

Lossenel smiled at her in return, nodding her head lightly before centering her attention on her meal once again. She tried to think of something else to say to her, wanting nothing else than to keep talking with the stunning Lady, but before she could find anything to say she felt Tadion place his hand lightly on her arm, making her turn to look in his direction.

"Did you sleep well?" His clear blue eyes were so peaceful and welcoming, so untroubled and open, his voice coming out so confident and casual, making her doubt he would ever have trouble in starting or keeping up a conversation.

"Yes, I did" She lied easily, lost in the clear blue oceans of his welcoming eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elladan's silver eyes turning in her direction every two seconds as he joined in Legolas and Elrohir's conversation.

"You are very good at lying." He said in response, his lips curving up into a grin as his eyes narrowed slightly, sparkling with victory and mockery. "I would have completely believed you had I not heard you leave your chamber some hours before dawn."

She raised her eyebrows at his words, feeling her eyes widening a little and being unable to contain a surprised chuckle from escaping her lips. He raised an eyebrow in return, blue eyes staring at hers expectantly.

"Fine." She admitted "I could not sleep, so I went for a walk."

"How do I know you are not lying again?" He asked playfully, his eyes openly mocking her, as if he had known her his entire life.

"You do not" She shrugged, deciding that if he was going to tease her, she was going to follow his game. She heard Lossenel's musical laugh from her right, the sound like tiny silver bells floating on the air. Tadion leaned forward on the table, throwing a fake glare at Lossenel before sitting back straight again, the wide smile never leaving his lips.

"Where is Arahaelon?" Elrohir's voice suddenly asked, his kind silver eyes looking questioningly at Tadion. For the first time she noticed the absence of the Crown Prince in the room, her eyes turning to the large pairs of doors, almost expecting him to suddenly appear through one of them.

"I have not seen him." Came Tadion's reply, as peaceful and casual as ever. "He must be with my Adar in a meeting. He was probably woken up very early."

"Is he usually awakened that early?" She inquired, trying to sound as casual as she could, not wanting to give away her curiosity on the topic or any clue as to her encounter with the Elvenking earlier that morning.

"Sometimes." Legolas was the one to answer, infinite blue eyes looking directly into hers. "When there is an important meeting or council, he must attend along with Ada. Ada, on the other hand must be very used to being sought in the middle of the night, although he is never wakened unless the matter is of significant importance."

"I see." She said casually, trying to sound uninterested on the matter and Legolas smiled softly at her. She let her eyes wonder around the room, and for the first time she noticed the vacant throne like chair at the head of the table, the golden plate and crystal cup placed in front of it unused. The King had not yet come to breakfast.

The image of the Elvenking as his ice blue eyes pierced the ones of the strange blond elf flashed through her mind once more. She could clearly imagine no elf wanted to wake up his King in the middle of the night, especially bringing bad news or unexpected problems, and she once again wondered as to what had been the reason for the King to be aroused from his bed this night.

Elladan's eyes flew to her once more, swallowing her in their endless pools of liquid silver, and she knew he knew that something troubled her. She let herself stare into his eyes for a moment, silently reassuring him before turning again to meet Legolas' kind blue ones.

"How was your walk this morning, Almarëa?" She turned her head at the sound Lossenel's gentle voice, only to find herself once again pierced by those stunning ice green-blue eyes.

"It was very peaceful." She said, glad to finally have something to tell Lossenel. "I simply sat and listened to the trees as they sung. I did not know trees could sing like that. It was a shame that they fell silent again once dawn came."

She saw Lossenel's eyes looking at her carefully, almost as if she had not understood anything of what she had just said. Elerrina replayed her words in her head, trying to find the piece that the Princess might not have understood, but could not find anything wrong with their phrasing.

"Oh, yes. It does sound beautiful when they whisper to each other." The beautiful Lady asked with a wide smile, letting out a single bell like chuckle. "You confused me for a moment when you called it 'singing', although I must confess I truly do not know what you mean by them falling silent at dawn."

"I meant that they fell silent when dawn came. What do you mean when I called it 'singing'? They had been singing, not whispering. It was a chorus, all of them singing the same song. And then at dawn their singing ended. Did you not hear them last night?"

She turned her head in Tadion's direction for a second, only to be once again met by a pair of confused clear blue eyes, staring at her as puzzled and lost as the Princess of Mirkwood. Legolas' eyes held the same expression as that of his older brother's and Lossenel's ice green-blue eyes remained fixed on hers, studying her carefully, their expression unreadable although a faint gleam of puzzlement sparkled in their depths. Suddenly she felt herself freeze with the realization that the Princess of Mirkwood truly had no idea as to what she was referring to.

"I heard them whispering yes" The Princess said almost hesitantly. "Just as they do every night and day. But I do not recall ever hearing something different at dawn. Perhaps the sounds of the day merged with their whispers, making you believed they had fallen silent."

Lossenel smiled at her again, clearly searching for a way to make sense of what she was currently telling her. Elerrina felt her heart paralyze for a split second, but she did not show her sudden surprise as she finally realized that none of her siblings had heard the soothing chorus of the singing trees.

"Yes, it might have been that." She said in reply, choosing to let go of the subject.

Could she really have simply confused the whispers and misinterpret them for a song? She wanted to believe that was true, but the enchanting unintelligible lullaby of the trees as they swayed lightly to the night breeze was still fresh in her mind. It had not been faint or distant. On the contrary, it had sounded so powerful, soft and soothing yes, but perfectly clear, not a single note seeming to falter.

She could hear a new conversation starting in between Legolas and Lossenel, but she was no longer paying attention. Elladan's eyes flew to hers, trapping her in their intense silver stare, making her unable to look away. He knew she had heard something that her siblings had not. She could see it clearly in his piercing silver eyes.

She did not know what to believe, did not know if perhaps the singing had in fact been only a fragment of her imagination or a consequence of her overly tired head after a sleepless night. Suddenly the Elvenking's words from hours ago played again inside her head: _The chant beautifully, do they not?_ A cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought. The King of Mirkwood could hear the song…and he had known she could also hear it.

Here is chapter 3! I apologize for the long time it took me to update. Next chapter will be coming sooner that this one, that is for sure! Please let me know what you think of it! I really love all of your comments, they truly mean a lot to me!

Again, thank you immensely to all those of you who reviewed the last chapter: CeffylGwyn, Coco99, nethfaer, booklover1598, Martine9295, jibril, Wtiger5, ILoveEomer 3, Elf sister, dandapanda, AmazingWriter123, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, and Jasperslittlesister.

Love,

Elena


	4. Crashing Down

The rest of the morning meal progressed casually. Even though she tried to participate in the conversations, Elerrina had completely lost track of them. The only thought that floated in her mind was the soothing lullaby of the forest, and how none of her siblings seemed to have known about it. There were so many things she wanted to know, so many things that she simply could not understand, and nobody seemed to be willing to explain anything to her. It was frustrating.

She could feel Elladan's eyes fixed on her, and knew that he could feel her anxiety and detachment from the conversation through their bond. Now more than ever she wanted to be alone with him, wanted him to hold her in his strong arms, to make her feel like nothing could ever happen to her as long as he was near.

Elerrina let her eyes fall down to her plate, absently staring at the half-eaten strawberry tart that remained on it. Next to her, she could hear Tadion's musical voice speaking to Legolas, but she did not pick on the topic they discussed.

Everything seemed so far away, as if she was merely an observer in this elegant dinning room. For a split moment, she wished she had never heard the trees singing, even if it had probably been the most enchanting melody her ears had ever heard, dazzling her into a different time and space as their melancholic voices whispered the lyrics to her, seeming to penetrate into her very spirit. For a split moment, she wished it had not been she the one to hear something the others could not.

She closed her eyes for a second, the soft breeze that entered through the wall-length open windows gently caressing her skin, like a tender hand searching to give some comfort. Outside, the trees continued to sway dully, the soft sound of their dancing leaves floating in the air as an empty song. And that is what it was. It was empty. There were no voices this time; there was no sing of the enchanting tune that seemed to hypnotize her, only their soft whispering into the wind.

She could feel her chest tightening with frustration, making her want to snap out at someone, to yell. But what for? It was not as if she could tell anyone about Vilya, the powerful blue stoned ring, calling to her in the blowing wind. And now she did not even know exactly what of what she could hear and see could her siblings also hear and see.

"Excuse me" She finally said, her voice coming out as a faint whisper as she suddenly rose from the table.

The room felt silent instantly, all conversation dying as five pairs of eyes turned in her direction. Elerrina kept her own eyes on the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with anybody as she wordlessly headed towards the doors, not sparing a look behind. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elladan quickly rise from seat, not saying a single word as he strode after her. Tadion also stood, seeming to hesitate on what to do.

"Tadion, no" She heard Legolas' soft warning, followed by the muted sound of the Prince of Mirkwood sitting back down on his seat, but she did not turn or stop as she finally reached the pair of doors, stepping out of the now silent dinning room.

The long corridor was empty, and she did not why, but she felt glad it was. There was no elf who would stare at her, no maid who would greet her politely, making her have to force a smile in return. She kept walking down the hall, her feet moving fast as her mind remained lost in thoughts of her own.

"Rina?" She could hear Elladan following her, his footsteps rushing to catch up with her, feeling his worry and desperation to be near her through their bond.

She suddenly stopped, standing in the middle of the long deserted hallway as she waited for Elladan to reach her side. Not even a second later, she felt a gentle hand circling around her upper arm and she turned to face him, frustration and desperation making her chest constrict.

"Rina?" He breathed out, worry tainting the usually musical sound of his voice, silver eyes quickly travelling up and down her body as if assessing that she was all right. His deep silver eyes then fixed on hers, so gentle and at the same time anxious, drowning her as they silently pleaded to know what was wrong.

She did not say anything, unable to find her voice, her throat seeming to tighten, frustration taking the best of her. Instead, she threw her arms around his middle, pressing her face to his chest tightly, letting herself be lost in his sweet scent and the constant rhythm of his heartbeat.

He instantly wrapped both of his arms around her in return, pulling her tightly against him, as if he could feel her despair. She felt his lips pressing a kiss on the top of her head, and then his cheek coming to rest there, but she did not move, taking comfort in his sole presence.

Slowly, she started to feel more calmed, feeling his spirit reaching her through their bond like a soothing presence, letting her in completely, like two halves of the same essence. His arms continued to hold onto her, refusing to let go.

"Let us go outside." He said softly to her, his hands reaching down to grab hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. He did not wait for an answer on her part as he wrapped an arm around her back and started leading her in silence.

He led her to the large terrace where they had gone to see the snow as it fell the night before, slowly stepping into the snow-covered grass and into the gardens. The fresh air of the forest felt better than she had expected, seeming to clear her mind as they slowly walked in between the trees. The snow crunched lightly beneath her feet, barely leaving any trace of their footsteps, its pure white color patterned with the waltzing shadows of the trees, casting reflections in different shades of greens and greys.

After a short while, she saw a small clearing appear in the forest, a snowed path leading directly into it. A circle of thin pointed arches delineated the clearing, their columns so frail and delicate that they nearly seemed to float. A stone flooring had replaced the grass inside the arched space, resembling an open terrace in the middle of the enchanted gardens of the palace. No roof covered the circling structure, the arches only demarcating a transparent barrier between the open terrace and the shimmering waters of the small pond that surrounded it.

Thousands of flowers crept over the frail columns of the arches, their petals a bright shade of gold she had never seen in a flower before, and she felt the need to touch them if only to prove to herself that they were not indeed made of gold. The many flowers extended beyond the structure, floating over the resting waters with a dream-like delicacy she could not describe.

Elladan led her to one of the benches placed inside the arched circle, lowering himself to sit down next to her. For a moment, she remained quiet, simply enjoying the comforting fresh air, her frustration and desperation slowly being carried away by the soft breeze.

The darkness of the garden felt incredibly soothing, few rays of sunlight were able to filter through the heavy canopy of the green trees. That was something she noticed was different from the gardens in Imladris. Here, the forest seemed so heavy and alive, almost covering every piece of sky in a fascinating composition, so contrasting to the large and open waterfalls and streams in the Valley of Imladris.

"What happened?" Elladan's voice brought her back from her wondering thoughts, and she turned to meet a pair of gorgeous liquid silver eyes staring at her.

"I do not know" She admitted in a soft voice, her head coming down to rest tiredly over his shoulder. Elladan instinctively wrapped one arm around her, slender fingers absently toying with the long strands of golden hair at her back.

"Lossenel did not know what you were talking about. I know you heard something she cannot." His voice was soft as he spoke and she let out a sigh in return.

"I do not know what I heard" Her voice betrayed more of her irritation than she had wanted. She felt his hand gently rubbing a circle on her back, but he did not say anything else.

"Why do I hear things none of them do?" She voiced her question not really expecting an answer. Everything was so confusing, so overwhelming and nobody seemed to want to tell her anything. "Why do I see things? Why do I see _it_? Why do I hear _it?_"

Elladan let out a pained sigh, then pressed a soft kiss on her head, his hand continuing to rub circles on her back. She closed her eyes, the frustration and irritation merging with her tiredness and lack of sleep, making every single emotion feel more overwhelming.

"I do not know" He said at last, his voice trying to sound soothing, and at the same time she could hear in it a thread of despair at not having an answer for her.

"Nobody ever does" She whispered in return, snuggling closer to him. He did not say anything else and a void silence floated in between them for a moment.

"The King can also hear the trees" She broke the silence after a long pause. Her voice was barely a whisper, sounding frailer than she expected. Again, Elladan remained quiet, simply listening to her, and she understood that there was really not much for him to say at the moment.

"He told me this morning. I was down at some terrace I cannot recall how exactly I got there, and I stopped to hear the forest singing for I had never heard anything like it. Then he appeared, and asked me if I thought their melody was beautiful. He said it as if it was an everyday thing. He knew I could hear it."

She suddenly felt angry with the Elvenking; although she knew her anger was only fruit of her frustration and exhaustion. Why did he not tell her that other elves could not hear the trees singing? Oh, it must have been very amusing for him to take advantage that she had no clue.

"Did he explain?" Elladan tightened his hold on her as he spoke, and she knew he could feel all of the emotions that wracked her body at the moment but could not to do anything about it.

"No." She let out a shuddering breath, trying to control herself but it was resulting impossible. She knew she would break down in any second, and she really did not want to. "He has not explained anything to me. We talked a little, yes, but mostly about nothing. I can tell he wants to talk to me, but then he is so distant with me, and I do not know what to say. What do you tell the King of Mirkwood, Dan? What?"

She took another stabilizing breath and felt Elladan rub yet another circle on her back.

"I asked him why did I have to be raised away when I first met him yesterday, but he evaded my question. I did not insist. And this morning I asked about my mother. I asked for her name, and conversation died there. He did answer me though. Maybe I should not have asked that. It was bold and not very sensitive from my part I guess."

"It is alright to ask, Rina" He said soothingly, his voice low. "Although I understand why he would not want to talk about that in particular."

"I know." She breathed out. "I do too. It is just…."

She trailed off, letting out another trembling breath as she struggled to keep her emotions at bay.

"I do not know." She said finally, closing her eyes at the tears that where starting to form in them. She took another deep breath, but they were becoming less and less helpful.

All she wanted was to know the truth, and at the same time she did not know if she really wanted to hear it. In that moment, she simply wanted to understand everything, to not feel as if she was a secret to keep quiet. It was all so frustrating, so irritating and despairing.

"Dan?" Her voice sounded shaky this time, braking slightly at the end against her will. "I want to go back to Imladris. I do not want to be here."

Why was she even saying this? She felt him tighten his hold on her, but he did not say anything in return. She knew he could not do anything about it. She knew she could not return to Imladris yet. It was as if she was speaking without thinking, but that was exactly what she was doing. She felt helpless, desperate. She wanted to flee from this place, although she did not really know why. She wanted to feel at home again, wanted to know her surroundings.

"Please, let us go back." She pleaded, her voice nearly speaking against her mind. The sound of it surprised her; it was so broken, barely even audible.

"Rina…" Was all he said, his voice so pained it hurt her. She knew she was hurting him, for he could not do anything, but she could not control herself.

The moment she had been dreading came at last, her emotions finally overwhelming her. She felt a tear roll down her right cheek, her breathing becoming shakier by the second.

"Please, Dan" She pleaded again, wanting nothing than to flee from her misery. "I do not want to be here."

"Rina" He breathed again, and she knew her words were only causing him pain. She could tell that he wanted to answer her plea more than anything, but there was nothing to do about it. He shifted his hold on her, placing her on his lap as he wrapped both of his arms around her now. She took another deep breath, trying to ease the tight knot at her throat as she buried her head against his collarbone.

"It is only your first day here. You have yet so much to see. Give it time to decide if you really dislike it or not." He said gently, trying to provide some comfort, his hand stroking her hair softly. She knew he was right. She knew he was being reasonable and she was not, but at that moment she did not feel like being reasonable.

"I do not know any of them." She did not have to specify for Elladan to know that she meant her siblings. "I do not know anybody. They all know each other…It is just so strange. I do not know how to be Almarëa, and they are all expecting me to be their sister and I do not know how to. I want to go back…please" Her voice broke again, tears now flowing from both of her eyes.

"I know, Rina." He said very softly. "You will get to know everyone in time. They all want to know you. I know it is not easy. You did not know anybody in Imladris when you first arrived and that did not scare you. You did not even know me and you were already yelling at me without shame. Why are you scared about getting to know them? It is very unlike you."

"I do not know" She buried her face deeper in the crook of his neck, letting his dark hair shield her from everything else.

What was she doing? She had seen her entire village in ashes after an orc attack. She herself had survived three orc attacks by now. She had encountered the Nazgul, had felt Vilya taking position of her. And yet, here she was, crying like a child about something that seemed so small. This had finally been the drop that spilled the cup.

"I am whining" her voice was muffled by his tunic, but she knew he could still understand her. She took a deep breath again, trying to compose herself. "I am sorry, Dan. I am whining…I am behaving like a child. I do not know what has come over me"

She had never done this to him. She had never whined or complained about things that bothered her to him. She lifted her head from his shoulder, but he gently pushed it back down, his hand resting on the back of her head as his other rubbed her back soothingly. She felt more tears escape her eyes and she locked both of her arms around his neck.

"It is alright, Rina. You do not always have to be strong." She felt the knot in her throat tighten and more tears escaped her eyes as he spoke. "You are not being a child. You are tired. I know you have not slept."

He fell silent as she took yet another breath, all of her attempts to calm down completely forgotten by now. He simply held her tight, one hand rubbing circles on her back, and she felt safe, she felt better. She would apologize to her siblings for leaving breakfast later. Right now all she wanted was to be held in Elladan's comforting embrace.

"I love you." She whispered to him, and she meant every single one of her words.

"I love you too." He pressed his lips to her head as he spoke, pulling her closer to him.

A long moment passed in which they simple stayed in silence while he held her. A gentle breeze would blow occasionally, caressing her skin softly and tangling her long golden hair with his dark strands. Slowly, she felt her body become heavier, exhaustion finally consuming her as her mind started to drift away.

"Rina?" She heard Elladan's soft whisper in her ear, his voice so gentle, as if he feared to startle her. She blinked several times, trying to push back sleep as she lifted her head from his shoulder to look directly into his liquid silver eyes. "Allow me to take you back to your chambers. You are falling asleep"

She chuckled lightly at his words, one of his hands carefully placing one lock of golden hair behind her pointed ear. His silver eyes were locked on hers, letting her fall freely into their depths, so open and welcoming, sparkling with a gleam that was reserved only for her. She could still see a deep glint of worry in them as he looked at her, so pained and hurt, and she knew he felt useless. She knew he could easily carry her all the way back if he wanted to, but also knew that he could tell she did not want to be carried back.

She let her hands travel to the sides of his face, then leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a long gentle kiss. He kissed her back, deepening the kiss as his arms locked around her waist. At that moment, nothing else was important; everything seemed to fall into its right place once again. They broke apart sooner than she had wanted and she climbed off his lap, taking in his entire appearance as he too rose to his feet.

He was simply so handsome, standing taller than her, his long dark hair falling over his shoulders and back like a curtain of fine silk. His gorgeous silver eyes remained fixed on hers, sparkling like the silver moonlight on the black night sky. He took her hand in his and started leading her back towards the palace.

The way back seemed shorter than she remembered, and in only a couple of minutes her eyes once again caught sight of the large beautiful terrace from which they had come. She could see some elves standing on the many balconies above, others walking through the long open hallways framed by delicate pointed arches.

Another soft breeze blew past her and this time she caught the very familiar sound of a faint whispering in it. Her heart skipped a beat, her body going cold as she recognized the unmistakable call of Vilya in her ears. It was so beautiful and at the same time so terrifying, making cold shivers run down her spine as the image of the powerful blue stoned ring, glowing dimly upon the Elf-Lord's hand, flashed through her mind.

She tried to ignore it, concentrating on continuing her march next to Elladan, but her attempt was in vain. A split second later, the wind blew again, Vilya's whispers sounding louder this time. She stopped suddenly, the sound of the unintelligible words feeling so near, so loud inside her head, almost as if the ring was in here, in Mirkwood. It did not even give her time to think before it rang again, this time stronger now, screaming inside her head, pulling her to it, threatening to detach her form reality.

Suddenly, she knew exactly what was coming, and she could not control it, she could not stop it. She experienced the very familiar feeling of something pushing against her mind as Vilya's screeches nearly seemed to deafen her. She did not even have time to react, her head suddenly feelings as if it was about to split in half.

Everything happened so fast; she barely had a warning before it happened. Elerrina stretched her hand in the air, attempting to grab onto Elladan for support but she never knew if she managed to do so or not. In that second, everything turned black, her head drumming painfully as a powerful force wracked inside of it, trying to get past her barriers. But her barriers where not strong. She did not know how to control it, she did not know how to push it away.

A grave voice yelled loudly inside her head, only adding more pain to the existing one, screaming words in a language she could not understand. It seemed to pull her from her body with a force she could barely fight, dragging her in the direction of the voice. She tried to pull away, but could not. Everything was so dark. Pain. The loud voice wracking her skull in half. More Pain.

Suddenly, a flash of bright crossed her vision, like a blinding explosion that overpowered everything else. It pierced her head with a force she could not match, making everything else disappear, the loud voice vanishing in the brightness. It penetrated her mind, crushing her head with a pressure she thought would make her skull break. And then, as quickly and suddenly as it had come, it was gone.

The pressure eased, her body returning to her senses. Everything seemed to spin, and she could not tell what was up and what was down. Pain again. Every single part of her body hurt, her head seeming to be on fire. She opened her eyes with an effort, her ears catching the distant sound of voices, but she could not tell what they were saying. The images were blurred, and as she concentrated to focus, she caught of sight a familiar face leaning close to her. Piercing ice blue eyes stared into hers, wide and alarmed, so powerful and penetrating, fear tainting the sky colored irises, a gentle hand pressed firmly on her left cheek…

Here is chapter 4! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Please let me know what you think of it!

Again, thank you to all those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Paperlanterns86, alexiana75, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, jibril, CannonRebel, dandapanda, booklover1598, AmazingWriter123, Coco99, gossipghurl, and CeffylGwyn. Really I can't thank enough for your comments. They really mean a lot to me, and I hope this chapter makes your day a little brighter!

Love,

Elena


	5. Behind Broken Glass

Pain. That was the first thought that crossed her mind. Her head pounded heavily, making it almost impossible to concentrate on the figures before her eyes. Piercing ice blue eyes stared into hers, nearly demanding her to focus on them, and she struggled to concentrate, using them as an anchor point from the spinning world around her.

The Elvenking's frightened blue eyes relaxed visibly once she looked back at them, but the alarmed gleam never left the sky colored irises. She could hear voices speaking frantically around her, but could not catch what they were saying. For the first time she noticed that she was lying on her back on the snow-covered grass. Her entire body was shaking, and she felt weak, exhausted.

Her eyes moved frantically around, searching for Elladan. She found him to her left side, kneeling on the snow next to the King, a worried expression on his handsome face. His silver eyes met hers instantly, so frightened and concerned, the mischievous spark that usually lighted them completely gone. She wanted to say something to him, anything but could not find her voice.

She could see other elves hovering over her, their faces or parts of their body appearing and disappearing in her line of vision. They seemed to be the ones speaking, murmuring words in elvish, looking incredibly anxious and confused, their curious eyes darting form her to the King to Elladan. She could not recognize a single on of the faces, all of them standing in a loose circle around her, keeping their distance.

"Almarëa? Can you hear me?" Her eyes darted back to meet the King's worried ice blue ones, nodding her head lightly.

She felt the Elvenking swiftly scoop her up in his arms, her body seeming to be weightless in his strong grip. Everything spun again at the motion, and she hid her face in the rich fabric of his green formal robes, not really knowing what was happening. She could tell they were moving quickly, the King walking at a fast pace. She could also hear a pair of voices moving along in front of them, guards she assumed, making way in between the curious elves and ordering them to move aside for the King to pass.

The change of sound in the Elvenking's footsteps told her when they entered the palace, the bright sunlight disappearing from over her head. They did not stop once, and Elerrina guessed that no elf wanted to block their King's path. She could almost feel the curious stares following them, but did not move her face from the King's chest.

She heard a door being pushed open, and then felt herself being carried into a room, tow pairs of footsteps following them. The room was quiet, de door closing behind them with a deaf click. She could tell the room was brightly lit, and did not dare open her eyes to face the light, her head already protesting painfully. The sound of sheets being pulled down echoed silently through the room, and the next thing she knew she was gently being lowered onto a soft bed. A tender hand caressed her forehead, brushing away some strands of her long golden hair as she felt someone sitting down on the edge of the mattress.

"Close the curtains"

The King of Mirkwood's command echoed softly in the air, his voice so low and peaceful and yet carrying such an authority she doubted anyone would question. She heard movement inside the room follow by a welcoming darkness as the heavy curtains sealed shut against the bright sunlight.

"Should I fetch a healer, Your Majesty?" A female voice asked, that she guessed belonged to a maid.

"Yes. Send for Melnor, please."

Footsteps hurried towards the door, which opened and closed once more, leaving the room in silence once again. She opened her eyes only halfway, trying to make out shapes in the darkness. She recognized the familiar interior of her own bedchamber.

The Elvenking sat at the edge of the bed, long hair falling down his back, the darkness reducing its light golden color to a mere ash grey. One of his hands rested lightly on the side of her face, his thumb softly caressing her cheek. His eyes immediately met hers, infinite blue irises so gentle and warm, not a trace of the cold and powerful piercing gaze of the King of Mirkwood remained in them.

"Close your eyes. It will help." His voice was soft as he spoke, eyes never leaving hers.

She did as told, hiding behind the darkness of her now closed eyelids. Her thoughts travelled back to Elladan, and she wanted him here with her, sending her waves of calmness as he eased her splitting headache. She concentrated on their bond, feeling his soothing presence reaching to her, and she relaxed a little.

Short minutes later she heard the door being pushed open, and she open her eyes just in time to see a maid enter the piece followed by a tall dark haired elf. The elf's eyes looked at her curiously for a brief moment before fixing his eyes on the King.

"How can I be of help, My Lord?" His voice was deep, patient, as he inclined his head respectfully. His patient eyes turned once again to her, seeming to study her curiously. It only lasted for a second, his eyes returning to look serious as added. "What ails her?"

The Elvenking did not answer but instead rose from the bed, allowing the dark haired healer to get closer to her. She felt the healer's hands expertly taking hold of her right wrist to check her pulse, his eyes hovering over her for any signs of an injury. She caught sight of the King dismissing the two maids with a silent movement of his hands, and seconds later the doors opened and closed again.

The healer, Melnor she assumed, let go of her hand, leaning over her to touch her forehead and neck. His quick examination lasted only a minute or so before he stood straight again, turning to face his King.

"There is nothing, physically wrong with her." His voice as low as his eyes stared into the piercing blue pair of the King of Mirkwood, seeming to silently ask the dreadful realization that was written in them. There was something in the silent exchange of looks that told her that the healer knew exactly what was wrong with her, and that it was not the first time he had seen it.

"I will go prepare something for her." He added in a low, grave tone. "Should I bring something for you as well?" His observed the King carefully as he spoke.

"No." She heard the Elvenking answer in a serene voice that held no space for argument. "I am fine."

Melnor nodded his head respectfully, and without adding anything else headed towards the door at a hurried pace. She closed her eyes trying in vain to escape the throbbing pain in her head, and felt the bed shift slightly as the King returned to sit at the edge of the mattress.

"I am sorry." She heard him say softly, long fingers gently stroking her hair.

The dark haired healer returned only a couple minutes after, and she opened her eyes to see his tall, slim figure walking towards her, a steaming cup held in one hand.

"Drink this, My Lady" Melnor handed the cup to her as the Elvenking carefully helped her sit up on the bed.

The steaming cup felt warm against her fingers, the sensation spreading through her hands comfortingly. She obediently took it to her lips, sipping the bitter liquid without complaining. At that moment she would drink anything if it would take away the splitting headache she suffered. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the King nodding silently at the healer, and the latter accepted his dismissal with a light bow of the head before heading out of the room.

The Elvenking gently took the empty cup from her hands once she had finished its contents and slowly pushed her back down onto the pillows. She wanted to look at him, wanted to see into his eyes, to search for an explanation in the impenetrable infinitudes of his irises, but felt too exhausted and weary to even keep her eyes open. She fought to keep them open, fearing that the regal looking elf in front of her would disappear at any moment, taking with him all of her hopes of knowing what had just happened.

"Rest, Almarëa" He said in a soothing voice, easily reading her thoughts through her eyes. "Sleep, my child."

His fingers softly started stroking her hair again, feeling strangely soothing and comforting. His sole presence felt soothing, somehow seeming to pacify her troubled spirit, making her feel oddly safe, even though she had barely interacted with him and had only spoken to him twice. She let her green eyes fall on his once last time, loosing her fight against her fatigue, pain, and drowsiness from the draught as her eyes started to close again.

"Do not go." She breathed out faintly, not really knowing why she had said it. She did not understand the reason why, but suddenly she felt scared of him leaving her side, needing his presence close to her to feel safe.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the Elvenking's lips, illuminating his serene eyes with a faint gleam as he looked at her, powerful blue irises looking different, no longer impenetrable, as if for a split second the iced barrier that sealed them had been entirely broken.

"I will be here."

She felt her eyes starting to close again, her eyelids too heavy for her to keep them open any longer. She did not remember how for how long she laid there, the constant throbbing pain pounding behind her closed eyes while a tender hand tried to soothe it away. Everything started to become distant and soon she was drifting off into a dreamless sleep where she could feel nothing at all.

When she woke up, the first thing she noticed was the absence of the splitting pain in her head. She felt slightly disoriented, memories coming back to her in a blurry haze. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and she noticed that she was still lying on the bed inside her own bedchamber.

The large room was still dark, the heavy curtains obscuring the windows and balcony. A lone figure sat motionless at the round table placed on one corner of the room, like a cold heavenly crafted statue forgotten in the darkness. Long light blond hair fell inertly down his back in neat braids, contrasting with a pale gleam against the dark forest green color of his rich formal robes. One pale hand absently held a cut crystal glass of red wine that rested on the table, the other hand resting lightly on his lap. She could only see the fine profile of his face, ice blue eyes staring off into the darkness, lost in thought. The crown that had adorned his head some hours ago now placed unceremoniously over the polished wood table next to a large golden tray carrying an untouched assortment of food.

She sat up on the bed, the Elvenking's head immediately turning in her direction, snapping out of his thoughtful trance. He offered her a warm smile as he walked towards the bed.

"How are you feeling?" His infinite blue eyes stared softly at her as he sat down at the edge of the mattress. His voice was gentle and low, but she could hear the hidden concern that tainted the melodic sound.

"Lightheaded" She admitted still trying to shake off her slight disorientation. He gave her a pained smile, one hand placing a strand of golden hair behind her ear.

"I can imagine. You can rest some more if you wish to." His voice soft as he smiled sympathetically at her, somehow giving her the feeling that he had been in her position before, and probably more than once.

"It is alright." He nodded his head in response but did not add anything else as his ice blue eyes looked deeply into hers.

Silence settled between them for a moment, her thoughts flying back to Elladan, wanting nothing more than for him to be here with her. She could still feel him reaching to her through their bond, making her feel secure as gentle waves of soothing calmness washed through her. She could feel his frantic worry and despair, almost as if they were her own feelings. She reached back to him in a pathetic attempt to ease his worry, knowing deep inside that he could probably feel her need for his presence next to her.

"_Rina? Are you in pain? How do you feel?" _

She never knew how she managed not to hive away her surprise as Elladan's musical voice bounced softly inside her mind, so clear and gentle, as if he were standing right by her side at that precise moment. She could easily hear the worried tone his voice carried, and yet the sole sound of his voice made her heart beat peacefully again. She had known their bond was strong, feeling what he felt becoming only easier every day, but had never been able to hear his thoughts.

She had never shared a bond with anyone before. She had no idea how to answer, if he would be able to hear her in return at all. She had only ever heard Lord Elrond speaking inside her mind, and he had been able to do so because of the connection she shared with Vilya, which in return enabled a connection between their minds.

"_Dan? Can you hear me? I am fine. I slept for a while. The King is here with me." _

She immediately felt Elladan relax slightly and assumed that he had indeed heard her. Waves of calmness continued to wash through her, her heart fluttering contently at the feeling of him close to her, even though he was physically away.

"I heard breakfast did not go very well this morning"

The Elvenking's gentle voice brought her back from her thoughts and she centered her eyes once again on the regal looking figure in front of her. His eyes were soft and warm, and yet still so unreachable, a comforting smile present on his fair face. She smiled faintly in return, lowering her gaze at the mention of the events from hours earlier.

"Did Tadion do anything to you?" Slender fingers softly pushed her chin upwards, her eyes meeting a powerful pair of ice blue irises, so intense and infinite and at the same time to impenetrable and unreadable, making it impossible to escape the stare.

"No" She said quickly, unable to hide the surprise from her face at the unexpected words, somehow trying to understand what was the King talking about. "He did not do anything. Why would you think so?"

"I do not." He reassured her in a calmed voice, his voice always so serene and patient. "He thinks he did. I just wanted to hear what you thought."

"He did not do anything wrong" She added, stunned that Tadion would think that. But then again she had fled from the dinning room without reason or explanation. "Nobody did anything wrong. I just…I…"

"It is alright" He said immediately. "You do not have to explain yourself. You have done nothing wrong, Almarëa."

She merely nodded her head, not knowing what else to answer as her eyes fell once again on the unreachable infinities of his ice blue eyes. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, but did not know how. She wanted to look at this elf in the same way that Legolas did, so comfortably and easily. She wanted to be able to look at him and feel he was her father and not the respected King of Mirkwood.

"You can hear the trees singing."

His eyes darted back to hers instantly at her sudden change of topic. She did not know from where she got the courage to voice that question, but did not regret it. His eyes pierced her for a moment, seeming to study her carefully. She felt her insides turn to ice, expecting him look coldly at her again, but acted as unpredictable as ever, a smirk crossing his face as a single chuckle escaped his lips.

"So you figured out not everyone can." She could not tell if he was talking to her or to himself, his eyes lowering to his hands and his smirk still present on his face.

"You knew I could hear them also." Cautious blue eyes lifted back up to meet hers, seeming to calculate whether to answer or not.

"I did not." He said at last, his voice dropping to a low sound, the look in his eyes suddenly darkening, looking deep and troubled now, part of the iced seal seeming to vanish as the smirk disappeared from his face. "It was a wild guess, and you proved me right."

"You knew what was happening to me." Her voice was merely a whisper. For the look in his eyes she knew he understood she meant about the attack. She could not tell how she knew, but she did.

Ice blue eyes pierced her intently, and she did not look away, she could not. They were so powerful, so deep and mighty, pulling her like magnets with a force she did not know existed. It felt so different from Lord Elrond's piercing stare, in which she felt that he could see through her very soul, so wise and concealed. No. The King's eyes were different. She could see the silent answer to her question in them, and felt that, for the first time, she was looking into the entirety of his eyes, looking into the unreachable depths behind the broken iced barrier, and what she saw was a power and strength she wished she could escape immediately, and yet could not. This time, he did not evade her behind cold eyes.

"Elrond hides very well that powerful jewel he wields."

Here is chapter 5! I really hope you like it! Please let me know what you think of it!

Thanks again to my reviewers: KrystylSky, CalathielKat, Elf sister, Martine9295, She Elf of Hidden Lore, dandapanda, Coco99, ForbiddenShadow0, SarahWeasley, The Grimreaper PT, gossipghurl, AmazingWriter123, CeffylGwyn, nethfaer, K8Y, booklover1598, kcelflover, xX-MissyMii-Xx, Wtiger5, luckyponygirl, and Paperlanterns86. This chapter is for you. Thank you for all of your comments about the story, they truly make it easier to keep writing it!

Love,

Elena


	6. Perception

"Elrond hides very well that powerful jewel he wields"

The words hung coldly in the still air, floating with a ghostly air in the complete silence. She felt her heart stop beating in her chest, her body freezing in place like a statue of cold stone as the King's piercing blue eyes stared directly at hers. They were so deep, so powerful, penetrating hers like iced daggers, and suddenly she had the feeling that he knew everything.

She opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out. It felt as if her voice had completely abandoned her. She did not know what had made the Elvenking suddenly tell her this kind of information, but was not planning on ruining the moment.

"You thought I did not know about the ring?" She could not tell if it was a question or a statement, but she neither denied nor confirmed it. Instead she forced her eyes to remain locked in place, fixed on his powerful ice blue ones.

The King lowered his eyes with a sigh, slowly rising from the bed and walking towards one of the tall windows obscured by the closed ivory curtains. She followed him with her eyes, waiting in silence for long minutes. She considered walking to him, but her legs felt weak to her, and she knew they would not carry her for long.

"I cannot think anything if I do not know anything to base my thoughts on, My Lord." Her voice was low, but loud enough for him to hear. The Elvenking did not turn to face her this time, and she regretted her words for a moment, wondering if her diplomatic answer had somehow hurt him because of its formality.

"You choose your words carefully." Was the answer she received, the words holding an odd mixture of pride and sorrow.

The King of Mirkwood turned around to face her, slowly returning to sit by her side on the bed. Something in his face looked different now, softer, the strong power in his eyes replaced by a melancholic sorrow and kind tenderness as he stared into hers, making her entirely regret her cold words. He smiled softy at her, but the smile never reached his eyes, one slender hand brushing her cheek gently before falling to his lap.

"I never wanted you to carry this burden"

His voice had dropped to a whisper, so honest and transparent, the powerful authoritative tone of a King now entirely forgotten. She did not say anything, not trusting her voice, and he continued speaking.

"You are powerful, Almarëa. More than I wish you were…more than I thought you to be."

He paused for a moment, seeming to hesitate where to continue, transparent eyes swallowing hers into their infinities.

"You scared me today. I ignored how deeply the ring of air has penetrated into you. I ignored the level of sensitivity to such forces your spirit possesses. They reach you, or you reach them, so…easily. It is an unimaginable power…but it can be an unimaginable weakness as well."

She felt her body freeze again, every word seeming to dance inside her head, downing into her as a heavy weight, eyes fixed on his now entirely open ice blue ones. She wanted to know what he was telling her more than anything, but now felt scared to hear it.

"I did not know how deep into your mind or spirit had the attacker penetrated. I could not tell if I would be able to call you back, to break the connection, or if it was already too imbedded into you for it to leave permanent damage. I…I really thought I would loose you for a moment. I feared you would be too far dragged into darkness to be able to come back."

His voice was barely audible as he spoke, and she could see the fear in his eyes, the pain and worry as the seriousness of his words sank into her head.

"It was a fortune that Elrond's son was with you when it happened and somehow managed to anchor you to reality long enough for me to get there. I had never seen the son of Elrond so afraid in my long life."

The sole mention of Elladan made her heart ache because of his absence, longing to run to him, to ease his worry and fear for her. The words of the King felt shocking to her. She had never realized how badly things could have gone. She had never seen the danger, the reasons why Elladan seemed to worry so much about the attacks. She had not known anything about them, and the truth seemed to be bitterer than she had expected.

"Is he all right?" She asked immediately. She could still feel his worry through their bond, but wanted to hear from the King that nothing had happened to him.

"Pardon me?"

"Elladan, I mean." She specified, not entirely understanding the look in the King's eyes at her question.

"Ah, so that one was Elladan." His eyes studied her carefully, holding an expression she had never seen in them, wary and suspicious, narrowing slightly as he spoke Elladan's name. It only lasted a fragment of a second before the strange sparkle disappeared form his eyes.

"He seemed to know what was happening to you, so I take it this is not the first time you suffer an attack like this one, is it?"

"No." She did not know if she really produced a sound or simply moved her lips. "It has happened before."

An alarmed expression took hold of the Elvenking's clear blue eyes, suddenly looking more serious than ever.

"Did Elrond know of this?" he hissed, his tone now cold, stained with worry and accusation. "Did he let it happen?"

"Yes, he knew, but he would stop it, he would push me out of it almost instantly." The hard expression in the King's eyes relaxed at her words, the coldness and sudden anger seeming to dissipate.

"Good." He said flatly in return.

The King looked away for a moment, his face hard, completely composed, and she simply stared at him. She felt dazed, as if everything around her was surreal, as if his words had merely been a dream…and she wished them to be. Still everything seemed so unclear…

"I…I still do not understand." She said finally, her voice sounding shakier than she had wanted. "How did you know what was happening to me? How do you know about the ring?"

Ice blue eyes turned around to face her, the hard and fiery gleam once again gone. His eyes were gentle now, expanding like infinite waves of a calmed sea, so vast, and tender, drowning in a rain of melancholic sorrow.

"I know of the ring the same way as you do." His voice was once again barely audible, so plain and transparent, lacking all of its cold authority and power. She did not say anything, and he continued to explain.

"I have heard them. I have sensed them, even felt their powers extending over the lands of Arda. It is merely a faint glimpse of power what I can perceive, a nearly deceiving presence of unnatural power that seems to blend with the living forms in such a magnificent way. I know where the three elven rings are kept, for I have felt them while in the presence of their bearers. Elrond ignores that I know he bears one of the three."

"You on the other hand…" He trailed off, lowering his eyes while shaking his head slightly.

"Almarëa," he started again "I do not think you understand the seriousness of the powers you hold at hand. Your spirit is far much more sensitive than mine. It is as if it lacked a solidity of essence, that firmness that compacts it as a whole and separates us as strangers, as individual selves, from the rest of the living forces."

"But…are not all elves sensitive to living beings?"

"Yes, but your sensitivity is different. You do not only perceive nature around you and interact with it as two separate beings. You can reach their very essence, their spirit I could say, as if it were your own. They can reach you so easily, penetrate deeper into you than in any other elf. The stronger the force, the easier it will pull you towards it. I felt the ring while I tried to call you back. It was nearly impossible to separate it from you, as if you were the same being. It intertwines with you so easily and deeply that you can wield its powers. It becomes you and you become it. I am sure it will be no different with the other rings."

She found herself speechless, the words dancing disorderly inside her head. She tried to catch all of them, but they seemed to escape her, to float away before she could fully comprehend them, her thoughts growing foggy and unclear.

She remembered the ring, the fascinating blue stone glowing dimly upon Lord Elrond's finger, whispering softly to her, so attractive, like a magnet pulling her in, calling her name. She remembered its cries ringing in her ears, bouncing inside her head; remembered the feeling of an exterior power rushing through her veins, invading her own body like a burning fire, and it felt so natural.

"It is a double edged sword, my child. You can learn to use this forces, to let them in and bond with them, working in partnership. They will all answer to you, but you need to learn to control it. Otherwise, they can drag you to them, imbedded so deeply into you that it is they who control you, and it will consume you. You need to learn how to stop these connections when they get dangerous."

"Can you also wield the ring?" She asked, her voice cautious.

"No" He answered almost immediately, eyes widening at her question. "I cannot. And I would not dare to. I can perceive it, and it can perceive me, but nothing more. It reads me as a separate being, strange to it. On the other hand, it recognizes you as part of it, as another spirit it can attach to. And not only the rings, Almarëa but nature as well. The forest, the wind, the river, they all respond to you as an extension of their selves, only that it is harder for you to notice for their power is much lesser than that of ring and therefore less obvious."

"Since you were not a baby, your mother and I noticed that you responded to things that were not physical, not visible to all. I suspected that you too could hear the forest, for you reacted whenever I could hear it, but I could not be entirely sure. Still, I did not imagine the level of sensitivity you have demonstrated to posses."

"I do not believe the attack you suffered today was destined for you, or was on purpose. Darkness spreads through these lands. Mordor grows stronger each day, its number of allies increasing by the minute. Whatever it was that attacked you did not mean to find you. You were simply pulled into it as a reaction, the dark force sensing your spirit immediately. You need to learn how to create barriers, strengthen your spirit and your mind to be able to pull back."

She felt her heart drumming in her throat, her body suddenly feeling cold as the words slowly downed into her. The King's infinite eyes stared gently into hers, ice blue irises stressing the seriousness of his words, but she could see an unmistakable gleam of pain in them.

Suddenly she felt scared, weaker than she had ever felt in her life. She wanted to brace herself, to at least pretend that some sort of protection surrounded her, but her arms would not move. She tried to mask her fear from showing on her face, but to now avail. She knew her eyes were completely transparent now.

"Is that how you knew I was being attacked?" She phrased it as a question, but it was more of a statement, her voice coming out so shaky and faint she did not even recognize it. "You were also pulled towards the darkness."

She did not know from where she got that conclusion, but the serious expression on the King's fair face as his eyes pierced through hers once more only made the statement feel truer.

"Yes." He said at last, the seriousness in his eyes turning once again into vast seas of sorrow and pain.

She tried to stay calmed, to take even breaths, but was largely failing. She could feel her fear starting to rise inside of her, rising at the possibility of another unexpected attack happening in any second. She felt her chest constricting painfully and her throat starting to close, preventing air from flowing to her lungs. Panic started to rise inside of her, and she tried to suppress it, but was failing miserably. She did not want this, did not want another attack, did not want to hear Vilya whispering to her, did not want to hear the trees singing a melody only her ears, and the King's apparently, could hear.

"I do not want it to happen." She said, feeling that each second less air flowed successfully to her already constricted lungs. "I do not want another attack. I do not want to be pulled, not able to escape…"

She had to stop, feeling cut off of air. She was shaking, struggling to breath and keep her composure but her body seemed to be acting on its own. The Elvenking immediately pulled closer to her, strong arms encircling her trembling body. She did not pull away, trying to regain her breath as her cheek came in contact with the rich fabric of his formal robes.

"I am sorry. I am so very sorry. Nothing will happen to you" He whispered instantly, holding her tightly against him. "I will not let any harm come to you, Almarëa."

She tried to concentrate on his words, wanting to believe them, but it felt as if part of her believed that not even the powerful King of Mirkwood was capable of such thing. She closed her eyes tightly, focusing her thoughts on trying to calm herself, chocking for air. The King's embrace felt so strange and comforting at the same time, her body seeming to remember the touch although her mind could not. Suddenly, in that moment, he did not feel like the powerful King of an elven realm.

"I will not let anything happen to you." He repeated, one hand softly stroking her hair at the back of her head. "Now breathe and try to relax."

She concentrated on her breathing again, his close presence helping somewhat to ease her constricted throat, allowing air to slowly flow back into her lungs. She gripped his robes tighter, keeping her eyes closed as her trembling started to lessen.

He kept stroking her hair, his presence feeling so serene and pacifying. Slowly, she was able to breathe calmly again, her tensed and shaking body relaxing entirely, suddenly feeling weaker and more tired than she had before.

"Are you feeling better?" His voice was soft and calmed as he spoke, still cradling her in his strong arms.

She nodded her head as a response, not trusting her voice to answer. In fact, she was not even sure she had a voice at that moment. Carefully, he lowered back onto the pillows, into a semi-sitting position. One slender hand travelled to her cheek, forcing her eyes to focus on his infinite pair of ice blue ones.

"I will not let any harm come to you from this, do you understand?" His eyes seemed to speak louder than his voice and words, staring so deeply into her that she could not pull away. She nodded her head again, the movement so faint she was not sure he caught it.

"I will teach you how to control yourself and limit your powers; how to strengthen your mind and spirit to resist these forces, as well as how to use them. It will not be easy, but I know you can do it."

She nodded her head silently again, unable to look away from the power of his infinitely expanding eyes. A small smile grew on his fair face, illuminating a faint gleam in his eyes. Then, without saying anything else, he rose from the bed and gracefully walked towards the small table in one corner of the room.

She followed him with her eyes as he carefully lifted the tray of untouched food in his hands carrying it back towards the bed. He placed it gently over the covers next to her before sitting back down on his previous spot.

"Try to eat something. You missed lunch and it is already past dinner."

Her eyes widened in surprise at his words. She had not realized for how long she had slept, and the most shocking of all was that she did not feel entirely well rested. Her head no longer ached, true, but she still felt slightly disoriented and extremely weak. She gazed down at the assortment of fruits and breads on the tray, her stomach feeling sick only by the sight of it.

"Try if only one bite. It will help you feel better." He added, able to read her thoughts easily through her eyes.

She took a tiny piece of lembas to her mouth almost reluctantly, eating very slowly and taking only small pieces at a time. The food somehow made her feel better, even though she merely nibbled at it. She only took three or four bites of the bread before letting the tray aside, not able to swallow anything more.

The Elvenking said something in elvish, his voice cold and serene, holding a confidence and authority no creature in Arda would dare to question. She saw the door open in response and a fair looking maid she had never seen walked quickly into the room. The King said something else, motioning to the tray on the bed with a graceful motion of a hand, and the maid immediately picked it up, carrying out of the room in silence.

"Try to rest now. Tomorrow you will feel stronger." His hand started to softly stroke her hair once more making her eyelids feel even heavier.

She felt tired, exhausted even. The powerful words of the Elvenking still rang in her ears, dancing in her head like haunted ghosts. Some things were clearer now, and yet there so many other things she had not yet asked, so many things she still did not understand. Her mind wanted to ask, to find out as much as she could, and yet her body was too tired to obey her.

"Has this ever happened to you?" She asked as her mind slowly started to drift off. She did not know why she was asking. She guessed she wanted to feel reassured that she was not the only one who had gone through this. "An attack like this one I mean"

Her eyes fell closed, her eyelids too heavy for her to keep them open any longer.

"Many times" She heard him answer, the gentle voice sounding distant now, the feeling of the hand softly stroking her hair slowly disappearing as she submerged into a restful sleep for the remaining of the night…

Here is chapter 6! Sorry for the long wait! I have been out of town and had no Internet access….Let me know what you think of it! And I hope it makes up for the long wait! Next chapter will come sooner than this one!

Again, I cannot say thank you enough times to my reviewers: jibril, Anastasia, Mj, LalaithElerrina, Shue Yun, ILoveEomer3, Paperlanterns86, Martine9295, KrystylSky, luckyponygirl, wonderpanda10, Coco99, dandapanda, Elf sister, booklover1598, The Grimreaper PT, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, AmazingWriter123, and CeffylGwyn. Thank you for your patience, I know it was a long wait!

Jibril: Sorry that it took so long! I was not really going to upload the chapter until tomorrow because of the workload I have, but saw your review and decided against it! So here is the chapter!


	7. Winter's Waltz

_The sight was so familiar she recognized it immediately. This was not the first time she was here. The few rays of golden sunlight that were able to filter through the dense canopy of the trees danced around her delicately, tracing strange patterns on the green grass. _

_She walked straight to the front, slowly, the grass caressing her feet softly. She already knew what lied ahead. She had seen in it before. The green leaves cracked smoothly as they swayed on the gentle breeze, like silent witnesses to her short journey. _

_She felt not surprise at the sight of the very familiar stream leaping freely through the forest, its shallow waters glittering in silver sparks under the scarce light. The gentle lullaby of its waters as they ran downstream was soothing, unchanging. But it this time it felt different. _

_She let her eyes look up from the hushing waters, gazing straight into the darkening forest at the opposite shore. There was no elfling. She looked over her shoulder, halfway expecting the innocent child to be playing somewhere else, quietly singing to himself as his tiny hands swayed around him. There was no one. _

_She did not know where to look, did not know what to do. The stream kept flowing quietly, uncaring about her presence. The forest continued to waltz at the gentle breeze, its movements monotone, perfectly choreographed with the frail beams of golden light. And she waited. _

_Nothing came. Nothing happened. There was nobody; no elfling, no lady. Only her in the vast emptiness of the majestic forest. So alive and yet so dead. _

_Without knowing what she was doing, she stepped into the water, the cold liquid dancing around her feet as her toes sunk in the sandy bottom. She walked slowly, the water reaching up her knees, her dress sticking uncomfortably around her legs._

_Then, everything changed. Suddenly the crystalline waters turned a bright red color, spreading through the stream like a poisonous stain. She felt her heart stop, her legs frantically attempting to return to shore. But there was no shore. The forest was gone, vanished into nothingness. _

_Then, bodies floated slowly downstream. Too many bodies. Too many faces. Some facing down, arms and legs spread apart, carried carelessly by the current; others facing up, empty eyes looking at the sky, not seeing anything. There were too many. Faces flew in front of her eyes, the horrifying floating bodies merging with tall elegantly dressed ones spread on the ground, also dead._

_She screamed, air flowing out of her lungs, but producing no sound. Faces contoured in pain, limbs bent at strange angles, crimson blood spreading out poisonously, flowing into water and running over land, black arrows sticking out of shoulders, backs and legs, faces again, and then a glazed pair of hollow green eyes, staring vacantly at a red sky…._

She woke up with a start. Her heart raced inside her chest, drumming loudly as she involuntarily jerked upright.

"It was a dream, Rina. It was only a dream. You are safe." She felt a pair of hands on her shoulders as her eyes looked up to meet a gorgeous pair of liquid silver ones.

"Dan!" She breathed out both in surprise and relief, a smile automatically appearing on her lips as her fear immediately seemed to vanish, her heart feeling entirely at peace. He smiled at her in return, her heart nearly melting at the sight, feeling herself drown in his endless liquid silver eyes, so deep and welcoming.

Bright rays of sunlight illuminated the room, entering freely at the now opened ivory curtains. Somehow, the room felt larger now, brighter than it had the day before. She could hear the soothing songs of birds outside, a melody that played in perfect coordination with the swaying trees of the dense forest of Mirkwood. There was no sight of the King.

Elladan sat close to her at the edge of the bed, his loose dark hair falling freely over his shoulders and down his back, framing his pale face. The simple sight of him, the mere feeling of his presence next to hers made the haunting images from her dreams feel so far away, so irrelevant. He wore a light grey tunic, carefully embroidered in delicate dark blue thread. His hands travelled to hers, slender fingers entwining with hers, holding them tight.

"How are you feeling?" His voice was low and gentle, the bright spark in his silver eyes replaced by deep worry as he stared at her for long moments. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, moving to sit closer to him.

"I feel fine." She answered, and he seemed to look for confirmation in her eyes before accepting her words as the truth. He wrapped an arm around her and she let herself lean back against his chest, her body perfectly fitting against his. She could tell that he was still worried, but he did not say anything else.

"How did you get here?" She asked with a light chuckle as she felt his lips on her cheek.

"Through the door" He whispered in her ear, his voice carrying its usual mischief and carefreeness that she so adored, his warm breath tickling her skin. She let out a light laugh as a wave of shivers ran through her body.

"Dan!" She threw him a sharp look at his words, unable to hide a wide grin from showing on her face. A melody of his musical laughter echoed in the room as a response. "I mean does anyone know you are here?"

He laughed again, pressing another light kiss on her cheek before answering.

"Yes. Elrohir and Lossenel know I am here." He nuzzled his nose against her neck as his strong arms tightened their hold on her, her head coming to rest on his shoulder.

She shifted in his arms pressing a light kiss on his neck before letting her head fall once again over his shoulder. She could still feel him reaching to her through their bond and knew that his troubled mind was still going over the events from the previous day.

"Thank you for yesterday, Dan" Her voice was barely audible but she knew he could hear her perfectly. "I could feel you trying to calm me down. It did help, probably more than you think."

He did not answer, but instead she felt his hand gently rubbing her upper arm as his lips travelled to her temple, his other arm only tightening his hold on her. She had known he would not say anything in return, still too worried and troubled to admit it. She could see that it bothered him, his worry turning into anger and frustration at himself, and she wished she could do anything about it.

"You spoke to me" She added, suddenly remembering how Elladan's voice had echoed inside her mind, so clear, as If he had been right next to her. "I heard you inside my head. How is that possible?"

He chuckled lightly, the sound of it making her heart flutter in delight.

"It is not that hard to understand, Rina. You answered me last night."

"You heard me?" She rose her eyebrows in surprise, remembered her attempt to answer him the night before.

"With perfect clarity." He whispered in her ear, making a smile appear on her face. "It has been possible for some time now, maybe a couple of days or a week, but I had not tried speaking to you through your mind until last night. It has not been really necessary."

She had known their bond was strong. She could easily feel his presence when he was near, could even feel his emotions when they were strong enough or when he was by her side, like at that moment. But she had not imagined it was _that_ strong yet.

"I love you, Dan." She said, nuzzling closer to him. She felt his fingers travelling to her chin, lifting her head just enough to press his lips to hers.

"I have something for you." He placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose before pulling something out of his tunic's pocket and handing it to her.

She raised a questioning eyebrow at him, carefully eyeing the paper wrapped item held together by a thin silver ribbon. Her eyes met his again, waiting for an explanation, but only found his liquid silver eyes staring silently at her, sparkling with their usual mischief. She let her fingers travel to one end of the ribbon, but as soon as she meant to pull at it his hand quickly flew to grab hers, stopping her.

"Ah-ah." He shook his head lightly, a gorgeous grin adorning his handsome face, his eyes seeming to mock her, gleaming with amusement. "You have to wait until tonight to open it."

A light laugh escaped her lips, her fingers letting go of the ribbon as she once again raised her eyebrows in question.

"Why until tonight?" She said between chuckles, not sure of which she enjoyed most: the seemingly illogical nature of request, or his mocking grin as his eyes stared into hers.

"Because it is winter's solstice, and that is what you do. You wait until the night to open gifts." He said it as if it was the most obvious thing in Arda, eyes openly mocking her for the ignorance of her question.

"Was I supposed to get you something?"

She felt slightly guilty now as she heard his explanation. She had no idea that apparently there was a gift exchange in winter's solstice. In fact, she had not even known it was winter solstice until Elladan mentioned it. A chorus of musical laughter escaped his lips and his hand flew to hers, lacing his fingers with hers.

"No." he said finally, taking her hand to his mouth and planting a light kiss on her knuckles. "You were not supposed to get anyone anything."

She simply smiled at him, still feeling guilty as she placed the wrapped gift on the bedside table, where it would wait until night came.

"Then why give it to me now instead of later tonight?" She let out another chuckle, as his grin only grew wider.

"Because now you have to wait to open it." He leaned closer to her, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. "Tempting, is it not?"

She could not help but laugh at his words, not even hesitating for a second before closing the short gap between their lips. She then swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and Elladan immediately rose to his feet, his hands on her arms as he helped her up to her feet. The change in position made her feel dizzy momentarily and she swayed a little, trying to regain her balance.

"Slowly, Rina." The light and mischievous tone in his voice was now replaced by a softer one, the slightest thread of worry tainting the usually musical sound. She felt his hands holding her, offering support until the dizziness passed. However, he did not let go once she was able to stand on her own.

Softly, he pushed her down to sit at the edge of the bed and, although she wanted to, she did not protest. She felt entirely fine, knowing her dizziness had only been momentarily, but decided to do as he indicated if only to ease some of his worry. Also, she knew that he was a skilled healer and that he knew more than her on these matters.

"Take it slowly, Rina." His silver eyes stared deeply into hers and once again she had the feeling she was drowning in a pool of liquid silver. "The attack took more energy from you that you realize. Try not to push yourself today, alright?"

"Alright." She said with a small smile, her eyes still lost in his, unable to look anywhere else, but she did not want to look anywhere else.

He smiled in return and then offered her his hands, once again pulling her up to stand. This time she was perfectly capable of remaining on her feet with perfect balance, feeling as if nothing had happened. Nonetheless, he did not let go of her, wrapping one arm around her waist.

"Rina?" She immediately caught the change in his tone, his voice now low and concerned, his silver looking serious. "Why did the attack happen? I thought they were linked to the ring, but _it_ is still in Imladris. It should not have happened here."

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say a word a light knock sounded on the door, silencing her. They both turned their heads in equal reactions as the door was gently pushed open without waiting for an invitation.

She felt slightly surprised at the sight of the stunning Princess of Mirkwood standing on the halfway opened door, looking as royal and beautiful as ever. Lossenel seemed to hesitate for a moment, and she could tell the Princess was trying to decide whether or not to walk in.

"Elladan, Elrohir is looking for you." Elladan's eyes turned away from Lossenel to meet hers once more, his hands gently squeezing hers.

"I will tell you everything later." She whispered to him, knowing that if Lossenel heard her words, she would not be able to tell what they were about. Elladan nodded his head, then placed a quick kiss on her cheek before turning away from her and heading towards the door.

"I would have entirely believed your excuse had you not used Elrohir in it." She heard Elladan mutter to the Princess of Mirkwood as he walked past her, his eyes openly mocking her with their mischievous spark that mirrored his grin. "I know exactly where he is and he is _not _looking for me, Lossie."

"Just go, Elladan." The platinum haired Princess let out a bell-like chuckle as she spoke and the elder twin flashed her another grin before stepping out the half-opened door,

She could not help but stare at the regal image of the snowy Princess standing at the door, feeling slightly nervous and hesitant on what to do. As usual, her long platinum haired fell to her waist in a collection of intricate braids, in a style so different from what she had seen in Imladris. There were no jewels on her fine hair this time, but that did nothing to simplify her pure beauty. She wore a light dress of a dark shade of red, the color of wine, contrasting sharply against the snow complexion of her features.

"I..." Lossenel hesitated, not seeming to know what to say. "May I come in?"

"Of course" She answered quickly, wanting nothing more than to get a chance to speak with this gorgeous Elven Princess who happened to be her older sister…her only sister.

Lossenel smiled softly at her, iced green-blue eyes filled with their natural light as she took a couple of steps into the room. She moved so gracefully, as if every step she took was part of a flawless dance, so smooth and effortless.

"How are you feeling, Almarëa?" Lossenel's clear eyes seemed to be studying her, looking at her as if she was made of fragile glass, and she did not blame her. By the look in her crystalline eyes, the Princess of Mirkwood knew of the attack she had suffered the day before.

"I am feeling well." Was her answer, obtaining only another smile from the snowy Princess in return.

"It is good to hear that."

Silence fell over the elegant room, the Princess walking to sit at the edge of the bed, on the place Elladan had recently vacated. Not knowing what else to do, she lowered herself next to Lossenel, trying to think of something to say. She had never had a sister, much less one that was older than her. What was she supposed to say?

"Has everyone always called you Lossie?" The question left her lips before she could stop and think about what she was saying. She had heard her siblings use the nickname before, and now Elladan had also called her that way.

Lossenel let out a light laugh, the sound like delicate silver bells ringing in the wind. When she looked back at her, there was a smile on her face, somehow making her feel better at the stupidity of her question.

"Yes." She answered casually, as if she did not find her question strange at all. "At least since I can remember. It was Arahaelon who named me that way. He could not say Lossenel by the time I was born. You can call me that if you wish. In fact, you did when you were a baby. There were few words you could say, and one of them was Lossie. Ada would get frustrated because you could say my name and Nana, but not Ada."

Elerrina chuckled lightly , already enjoying the presence of the snowy Princess. Lossenel did not seem to be as half as unreachable as she looked to be.

"He seems…quiet" She suddenly said remembering the Crown Prince's piercing green eyes. They were the same shade and color as her own, and yet so impenetrable and unreadable, like hard emeralds that would not let her reach the secrets of their depths. She had not seen him again since her arrival in Mirkwood.

"Who? Arahaelon?" Elerrina nodded her head in response and she saw Lossenel's smile widen in return. "He will surprise you."

A short silence fell once again and she saw Lossenel's eyes falling on the paper wrapped gift resting on the bedside table.

"I see you have already received a winter solstice present" Iced green-blue eyes sparkled as she spoke, so pure, so filled with light.

"Yes" She could not help but smile too, and Lossenel let out another chorus of bell-like laughter.

"I did not know that we exchanged gifts for winter's solstice. I do not have a clue as to what to expect." Lossenel's smile grew wider, her eyes sparkling brighter at her words.

"You will see tonight. It is tradition to celebrate it with a great feast here at the Palace. After the meal, some families exchange gifts, but it is not an obligation to give anyone anything. Ada always has something for us though. And there is singing, and dancing. It is the only celebration for which the entire realm is invited to come. The Palace is a chaos right now, everyone seems to be trying to get everything ready for tonight."

She involuntarily looked towards the door, not able to imagine that preparations for a celebration she had had no clue about were happening some distance outside the safety of her chambers. Her mind then flew to the feast she had attended to in Imladris, the night that Elladan had first kissed her. Everything had been so elegant, so unbelievable. She wondered at how different this celebration would be.

And then there had been the curious stares. So many eyes had fallen on her in Imladris, studying the new face that had suddenly appeared escorted by Lord Elrond's twin sons. A wave of nerves washed over her as she thought of how many eyes would be on her this night. After all, she was the King's daughter; a daughter that was thought to be dead until recently.

"I believe it is Ada's intention to officially present you tonight." The Princess' words only made her nerves intensify.

"I…I do not know how to be a Princess." Lossenel laughed lightly, her delicate hand falling over hers.

"You already are, Almarëa. No one is expecting anything of you tonight." Lossenel's iced green-blue eyes looked deeply at hers, so warm even in their iced colors, like the crystalline waters of a winter's stream. She did not really know the Princess, and suddenly wished to know more.

"Lossie" She said, words flowing out of her mouth almost as an impulse, using the Princess' nickname without even realizing she had done so. She did not know why, but the shortened name flowed easily out of her mouth, her mind not even hesitating once or feeling the need for formality. "May I spend the day with you?"

Another flawless slime lightened Lossenel's stunning face, reaching her eyes in sparkling gleams of green and blue.

"I came here to ask you the same thing, Almarëa."

Here is chapter 7! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you to those of you who reviewed my previous chapter: Durinsbeard, Mj, Coco99, gossipghurl, Danda225, Mary, wonderpanda10, Elf sister, Paperlanterns86, AmazingWriter123, booklover1598, Martine9295, K8Y, Jibril, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Wtiger5, and CeffylGwyn.

I loved all of your comments and can't thank you enough for them. I know I haven't gotten back to all of you yet, but I will do so as soon as possible! In the meantime I leave the chapter to enjoy!

Love,

Elena.


	8. What Once Was Lost

Outside the Family Wing, the Palace was chaos. Servants and maids were everywhere carrying all sorts of things back and forth, nearly running into each other. It seemed that every elf in the Palace was making sure that everything was ready and perfect for the celebration that would take place that night.

She followed Lossenel through the Palace, the Princess of Mirkwood moving with incredible ease trough the long labyrinth of corridors, the number of servants and maids not seeming to surprise her in the slightest. Lossenel had been showing her around the majestic building, taking her to different places in a failed attempt for the Palace not to seem so strange for Elerrina. She appreciated the effort, enjoying immensely the large halls, each one more grand and beautiful than the one before, but she knew she would not be able to remember how to get anywhere.

"Is it always this hectic?" She asked the Princess as they made their way through a long corridor in one of the most public areas of the Mirkwood Palace. Lossenel let out a musical laugh in return, her face turning to look at her as she walked, her smile a sight that could bright up even the darkest of days.

"Only in days like today." Her voice sounded as if it was the most common thing in Arda, making Elerrina want to laugh in return.

As they rounded another corner into the Main Hall, the number of servants seemed to double. Three massive pairs of delicately carved doors to the left of the Hall were being open in that exact moment, all of them seeming to lead into the same room. The sight caught her attention immediately, making her stop in awe. From what she could see, the room inside looked endless, and she immediately knew that this had to be the largest room in the entire Palace.

"Those are the King's Halls" She heard Lossenel say softly next to her, easily reading her thoughts. "There is where the winters solstice feast will take place tonight. These halls usually remain closed and are only opened for special events."

Of course those halls would only be opened for special events. The size of the halls seemed ridiculous, and she could hardly imagine an event that would require that amount of space. However, her thoughts were quickly cut short as a very familiar voice echoed through the Main Hall.

"Lossie, Almarëa!" She turned her head at the mention of her name, a smile already on her lips at the sight of her brother quickly making his way towards them through the crowd of elves.

"Legolas!" She exclaimed as the Prince's arms wrapped around her middle, lifting her slightly as he greeted her. He then repeated the same action with Lossenel, spinning her around for a while as the Princess demanded to be put back down.

The simple sight of her brother suddenly made the active Palace feel more like home. She had not seen him in nearly a day, and already she had missed him.

"Where have you been?" She asked as Legolas' infinite blue eyes turned to look in her direction, so warm and bright, like endless clear skies.

"Down on the training grounds with Tadion and Elrohir. Elladan is also there in case you where wondering." His eyes narrowed slightly, mocking her as his smile only widened. Then he turned to look at Lossenel.

"He said to tell you that Arahaelon is looking for you, in case that I see you." Lossenel let out another laugh, the sound echoing through the hall like silver bells ringing in the gentle wind.

"He is unbelievable. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have the twins around." The snowy Princess shook her head slightly as she spoke, and Elerrina could not help but smile.

"What did you do to him, Lossie?" Legolas let out a chuckle, making a light laugh escape Elerrina's lips, already understanding that Elladan was simply making fun the gorgeous Princess. She could perfectly imagines his silver eyes gleaming with mischief and mockery as he gave Legolas the message.

"I told him that Elrohir was looking for him to dismiss him from Almarëa's chambers." Was Lossenel's simple answer, producing only another chorus of musical laughter from the youngest Prince of Mirkwood.

"Well, Arahaelon is really looking for you, Lossie. That makes Elladan's excuse to dismiss you a valid one, even though he does not know it. He guessed right."

"Do you know where Arahaelon is?" The Princess' smile suddenly lessened, her iced green-blue eyes turning serious as she questioned her youngest brother.

"He was in his chambers a couple of minutes ago. I believe he is still there." Legolas' voice was soft, his eyes as serious as his sister's and she had the feeling that there was a hidden message in the short exchange of stares. Lossenel nodded her head in reply before turning to meet Elerrina's forest green eyes.

"If you excuse me, Almarëa, I have to go."

She nodded her head in understanding, watching in slight puzzlement as Lossenel quickly turned and walked away at a fast pace. She remained there for a while, her eyes lost in the spot in which the Princess of Mirkood had vanished around a corner.

"How have you been?" Legolas' gentle voice brought her out of her trance, and she turned around to face a large pair of infinite blue eyes looking directly at her.

"I am alright." She offered him a smile and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Well, now that Lossie effectively got rid of Elladan for a while, do I get you all to myself?" She laughed in response, allowing her brother to guide her though the Palace.

"You called me Almarëa." She pointed out. She had never heard Legolas call her that name before, but now that she came to think about it, he had never really called her Elerrina either. He simply did not use her name whenever he addressed her.

"Yes. Would you rather me not call you that way?" He sounded hesitant, slightly confused at her statement.

"No, no." She quickly added, smiling at his puzzled infinite blue eyes. "It is simply that I had never heard you call me that way."

He smiled at her in return as they made their way up the large main staircase of the Palace.

"I have always thought about you that way, only that I did not know if you would choose to go by Elerrina as that is the name that you grew up with."

"That seems so far away now."

"You know, I used to call you Rëa. We all did." The sound of the shortened name leaving her brother's mouth made a smile appear on her face. She wished she could remember anything of her first year of life, but she simply could not.

"I am sure everyone still thinks about you that way, but it is hard because you are no longer the little baby you were the last time we saw you, and I believe they are all slightly scared because none of them really know you and we all know you do not remember. Tadion referred to you as Rëa earlier today, but I do not think he has the courage to call you that yet."

She laughed lightly, enjoying immensely the presence of her brother next to her. He made her feel comfortable, as if she could share anything with him. Legolas was the only one of her siblings that really felt like a brother to her, but then again, he was the one she had known for the longest time.

"I cannot possibly believe that there is a thing Tadion would not have the courage to say."

That made Legolas laugh as they rounded yet another corner. They were heading back to the Family Wing, she could tell, the number of servants and maids diminishing as they walked.

"Well you will have to believe it. I am dying to see how he will handle talking to you tonight. You know, he thinks he said something to upset you yesterday."

"He did not say anything to upset me." She quickly added, still surprised that Tadion would think such a thing.

"I know. I told him, but he would not let it go. You should tell him yourself tonight." Legolas' voice was soft as he spoke and she made a mental note to remember that she needed to apologize to Tadion.

The halls were quiet as they reached the private area of the Palace, and she immediately felt more at ease, the hectic chaos of maids and servants disappearing from her mind.

"Where are we going?" She asked Legolas as she noticed him take a different route than the one she knew that led to her chambers.

"First, we are going to deliver these to Ada's chambers. Then we can do whatever it pleases you. We still have a couple of hours before the feast." He said as he showed her a small pair of finely wrapped presents he had been carrying the whole time. He lifted one of them to his ear, shaking it lightly "I wonder what is inside. He always gets presents early."

Now it was her turn to laugh at Legolas behaving like a curious elfling.

"Stop being so curious. They are not for you." He laughed in return, putting his hand back down.

Her thoughts were distracted from the gifts as Legolas suddenly stopped before a large pair of finely crafted doors. She had seen these doors before, and had known that they led to the King's chambers, although she had never been inside. She had wondered at what was at the other side of the doors, and had known that the King would let her in if she asked, but she had never dared to do so.

Legolas opened the door without a second thought, completely comfortable in this space that felt so strange and out of limits to her. She followed him inside, choosing to stay close to him, although she really did not know why.

Inside, the chamber was large; probably the largest she had seen. Everything about it was so elegant that her eyes seemed to jump from left to right, wanting to look at everything at the same time. The first thing she noticed was that the chambers were empty, which somehow made her relax a little.

Frail columns stretched all the way to the ceiling, opening up in a delicate canopy of golden branches that resembled the leaves of the trees. Many windows framed the room extending all the way to the marble floor, adorned by heavy wine red curtains embroidered in golden thread, and allowing the clear light of day to brightly wash over the space.

There seemed to be many chambers in one. There was an antechamber at first, furnished by comfortable seats as well as a fine round wooden table. From there, the room opened into the ample space holding the bedchamber. An overly large bed rested in the middle of the room its fine silk covers in the same wine red shade as the curtains. One wall was covered in books of all colors and sizes, and she could see a large balcony on the other end, even though she was not sure if it should be counted as only one balcony because of its size.

Legolas easily crossed trough the room, heading towards a gorgeous wooden table placed in one corner. She followed him slowly, her eyes carefully studying the grand room. There seemed to be a third chamber ahead, which she assumed was the bathing room. She stopped by a beautifully carved dresser placed in the room as she absently saw Legolas putting the gifts down next to some others on the table.

Many pieces of jewelry lay over the dresser, however it was only one piece that caught her attention. A beautiful pin rested atop the dresser, the kind that was used to secure cloaks with. It seemed so delicate, so perfectly made that it seemed surreal.

She carefully took the pin in her hands, her eyes studying every detail. A single large emerald rested at the center of a pin, from which delicate silver pieces seemed to curl out, like branches, all of them intertwining with each other around the central stone, reminding her of the magnificent gate that surrounded the realm. Each once of the silver branches ended in a tiny pearl, their beautiful color contrasting stunningly against the dark emerald.

"It is beautiful, is it not?" She turned to face Legolas, who was now standing directly behind her, a smile on his face.

"Yes." She said simply, nodding her head as her eyes fell once again on the stunning piece of jewelry. She did not know what but something about it seemed to catch her attention, and she could not understand why.

"It has always been my favorite." He continued. "Ada never wears it because it is missing a pearl. You see?"

He pointed to one of the branches and she immediately noticed that it was different than the others: the tiny pearl was missing from its end, leaving only the circular void from where it used to be. She stared at the void for a moment, suddenly unable to take her eyes from it, as if she had finally understood what had caught her attention in the first place.

"Sidhel has offered many times to replace the missing pearl, but he does not let her. He says that it is not necessary because he has other pins he can use. It is a shame because this one is simply so beautiful to not be used."

"Yes." She said again, her eyes still focused on the missing pearl. She looked at all the other pearls, softly tracing her finger over them, all of them a size and shape she had seen before.

"Do you think he would mind if I take it for a moment?" His brow furrowed in confusion at her question, infinite blue eyes not seeming to understand why she would ask that.

"I am sure he would not mind." He said, his eyes studying her in puzzlement. "He would not mind you taking anything from here."

"Thank you." She said at last, turning around and placing a quick kiss on her brother's cheek before striding out of the room, leaving a very confused Legolas behind her.

She quickly walked to her own chambers, her feet finally seeming to remember the route without her having to think where she was going. A couple of maids walked past her, bowing their heads with a low "Your Highness" but she barely noticed them, her thoughts still focused on the pin held securely in her palm.

She reached her chambers without trouble, closing the door behind her as she entered. She did not waste time in looking around her chambers, as her feet automatically guided her towards the fine vanity placed against a wall. Various silver jewelry boxes rested over the polished wood surface, containing many different necklaces, bracelets and hairpieces, none of which she had ever used. They had been there upon her arrival at the palace, as well as a number of dresses ready for her to use.

Carefully, she set the pin on the wooden surface, her hands travelling to one of the silver boxes that she knew contained only two items inside. There, over the fine velvet that covered the interiors of the box rested the beautiful pin that Elladan had gifted her, and next to it, a thin silver chain from which hung a single tiny pearl.

She carefully lifted the simple necklace, the only piece of jewelry that she had owned while growing up in the small village of men. She studied the thin chain and the pearl carefully, as if she was seeing them for the first time. She remembered the ring, Vilya, hanging from that same chain around her neck not too long ago, nearly outshining the tiny pearl. This necklace had been the only item that had been saved after the brutal massacre that had destroyed the village; the only thing that reminded her of Naeraviel, her adoptive mother.

"_Elerrina, come down! Breakfast is ready!" Her mother's voice echoed through the small house as Elerrina's little hands reluctantly pulled away the covers of her small bed. With her long golden hair hiding her pointed ears and her plain white cotton nightgown she could easily pass for a four-year-old human child. _

_Her bare tiny feet landed on the wooden floor with a deaf sound as she climbed out of the bed which was slightly too tall for her. Then, she heard something fall from the bed, making a small sound as it hit the floor and rolled away. She stood there for a moment, her head tilted to the side in surprise and confusion as her large green eyes looked around for the mysterious object. _

_Then, it caught her eye. A small shiny white ball rolled underneath her bed, coming to a stop in the tiny gap in the wooden floor. As usual, curiosity took the best of her, and without thinking it twice she lowered herself on her hands and knees, a little hand pulling the bed sheet's up as she crawled under the bed. _

_Her little fingers fell on the strange shiny white ball, taking it in her hand as she crawled out of under the bed and sat on the wooden floor. It was so tiny and weightless, so beautiful and delicate. She had never seen anything of the like. How had this thing gotten to her room? _

"_Elerrina?" She heard her mother's footsteps coming up the narrow staircase, but she did not stand, all of her attention focused on the shiny treasure upon her little open palm. _

"_Sweetheart?" Naeraviel said softly as she entered the room, the plain wooden door cracking slightly as it was pushed open. "What do you have there?" _

_Elerrina pushed herself to stand, her height barely reaching over the woman's knees as she held her hand up for her mother to see the tiny white thing on her palm. _

"_Mommy, look! I found it under my bed." Naeraviel took the tiny object in her fingers, the shiny white ball looking even smaller in her larger hands. She watched as her mother sat on the edge of the small bed with a smile, and she climbed onto her lap. _

"_What is it?" Her curious green eyes fixed again on the tiny object in her mother's hand. _

"_It is a pearl, sweetheart." Her little mouth took the shape of an 'oh' as she finally understood what the tiny shiny thing was. She had never seen a pearl before; such things were not common in her village. _

"_How did it get here?" Confused large green eyes stared innocently at the woman. _

"_I do not know." Naeraviel let out a small laugh as she placed the tint pearl back on her Elerrina's small hand. "Here, keep it." _

"_What should I do with it?" _

"_You are the one who found it, so that decision is up to you." Naeraviel placed a light kiss on the top of her head as she spoke. The little elfling remained looking at the tiny treasure on her palm, seeming to study it carefully. _

"_Someone must have lost it." Large green eyes looked up to meet the woman's deep brown ones. _

"_Yes, perhaps someone lost it." _

"_They must be missing it, wondering where it is." Innocent green eyes looked sadly at the woman, a tiny finger carefully touching the small white pearl. _

"_Well, then how about you keep it safe for whoever lost it. He or she will be happy to know that their treasure is in safe hands. And when you find that person, you can give it back." Elerrina's green eyes sparkled at her mother's words, a wide smile appearing on face as she closed her fist around the tiny pearl. _

"_I can do that." _

The memory flashed through her mind as she stared at the little pearl hanging from the thin silver chain. As a child she had believed that this was a treasure she was supposed to keep safe, but as she grew up she had simply realized that it was a lost precious item that belonged to nobody. She had worn it because of its beauty, and because it reminded her of her mother.

She let out a silent breath as her other hand carefully lifted the gorgeous pin from the vanity. Her fingers gently placed the single tiny pearl on the circular void, next to other pearls. It fit perfectly. There was no way of telling which pearl had been the one missing; they were all exactly the same. _Someone must have lost it._ Indeed, someone had lost it; and she knew exactly who it was.

A small smile appeared on her lips as she took her tiny pearl in her hand. Winter's solstice celebration would be in short hours, and she had one present to give…

Here is chapter 8! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think of it!

Again, I want to thank all of you who reviewed my previous chapter! You really make me want to sit down and keep writing! : Martine9295, Elf sister, Coco99, Danda225, Paperlanterns86, jibril, booklover1598, AmazingWriter123, Ceffylgwyn, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, and my guest reviewer.

Love,

Elena


	9. Sparkling Colors

It was already dark outside as she quietly sat in front of her tall mirror, Lhenes hands expertly braiding her long golden hair. She wore a long formal dress in the palest of roses, the finest one she had ever worn on her entire life. It was so beautiful, and yet so different from the dresses she had seen in Imladris. The entire neckline was covered by thin strings of silver that laced with one another, falling over her bare shoulders and lacing around the entire length of her bare arms.

She watched in silence as the kind maid tied the last tiny braid behind the back of her head before moving around to get something else from the vanity. She felt her heart skip a beat, and her nerves build up as Lhenes returned with a breathtaking silver diadem, carefully placing atop her head. The elven maid then patiently moved to intertwine the delicate silver strings that hung from the diadem with her golden hair, placing numerous tiny hairpieces, from which hung pearls and rose quartz adorned by tiny golden leaves, around her braids.

"You are ready, Your Highness." Lhenes said softly as she stepped aside, hands clasped in front of her. Never before had a phrase sounded more ironic to her. True, her hair and dress were ready; but she was not ready.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Only a few months ago, she would have never imagined she would be sitting here, looking like royalty, waiting to attend the winter's solstice feast as the Princess of an elven realm. Every single aspect of her reflection looked flawless, and she could hardly recognize in her the plainly dressed Elerrina that lived with her adoptive mother in a village of men. No. Her reflection was that of Almarëa, daughter of the King of Mirkwood.

She heard the door of her chambers softly being pushed open, and she turned her head just in time to see an elegantly dressed Legolas walking into the room. Never before had she seen him looking so royal, his rich formal robes in the exact same clear blue color as infinite eyes. A fine silver circlet rested atop his light blond head, crowning him as the Prince she knew he was.

"Your Highness." She heard Lhenes say with a respectful bow of her head, and her brother nodded his head politely in reply.

A smile appeared on his handsome face as his infinite blue eyes met hers, his feet already walking in her direction. She could not help but smile in return, her eyes meeting his through the mirror as he came to stand directly behind her, hands lightly falling on her shoulders.

"It seems like Lossenel will not be only one getting all the stares tonight." Her brother said before lowering his face closer to hers and whispering in a low voice next to her ear "Elladan is going to drool all over himself. I will enjoy seeing that."

A light laugh escaped her lips at his words, her heart already bouncing at the simple mention of Elladan's name. She accepted Legolas' offered hand as he pulled her up to her feet, her dress dancing weightlessly around her legs in cascades of pale rose and silver, the thin silver strings that laced over the bottom of it sparkling faintly as they caught the light.

"Would you allow me to escort you into the Halls tonight?" He smiled brightly as he offered his arm for her to take, making her laugh again. "The twins will already be there, so it is either me or Tadion."

"I assume then that Arahaelon is escorting Lossenel?" She laughed as she took his offered arm, allowing him to lead her out of the room and through the long corridor outside.

"He usually does."

She tried to hide her nerves as her brother guided her through the long corridors leading to the Family Room in the private area of the Palace. This was one of the many rooms inside the Palace in which she had never been, and she could barely hide her curiosity from showing in her eyes as they walked into the room.

A welcoming fire danced at the large fireplace, its warm flames casting beautiful reflections on the many elegant seats and couches that furnished the room. She noticed three maids standing in one corner, next to large tray holding fruits and pastries as well as a cut crystal pitcher filled with red wine.

Arahaelon and Lossenel were already inside, quietly conversing in elvish. Both of their heads turned to the door as they heard them enter and her eyes immediately fell on an impenetrable pair of dark green eyes, the same shade as her own.

Unreadable green eyes pierced hers, so powerful and mysterious, and yet so serene and untroubled, like cold hard emeralds that sealed away their liquid depths. She had not seen the Crown Prince since her arrival at the Palace, and in that moment she felt exactly the same way she had felt the first time she had seen him, as if he could see directly through her without her being able to read a single one of his thoughts. She felt young next to him, far too young, as if this was a sibling she would never reach, and she was once again reminded that she was indeed the youngest out of five siblings.

The Crown Prince of Mirkwood wore elegant emerald green robes, making his powerful green eyes stand out even more, easily piercing through hers without needing to exert any effort at all. His expression was peaceful, the fair features of his face completely relaxed. His long light blond hair, the same color as the Legolas and the King's was neatly combed and braided, a silver circlet equal to that of Legola's resting atop his head. He smiled softly at her, his smile as unreadable as his eyes, before turning his eyes to meet Legola's, making her able to look away from the piercing stare.

Lossenel looked even more beautiful than usual, if such a thing was even possible. Her long platinum hair had been intricately braided, laced with strings of silver that cascaded from her diadem, so much like the one she herself wore. Her dress was a pure pearl color, also intricately embroidered in strings of silver around her shoulders, its patters lacing down her back and through the pale fabric of her dress until they died where it met the floor. Dark blue sapphires adorned her head, contrasting sharply against her pale skin and hair, like drops of a deep blue ocean on an iced winter's day.

"Legolas! Almarëa!" The snowy Princess exclaimed softly with a smile as Legolas led her to a couch next to the one in which Arahaelon and Lossenel sat. She smiled in return, feeling too nervous to say anything. She was only glad that Legolas was there with her; otherwise her nerves would have taken the best of her.

"Where is Tadion?" The Crown Prince asked, taking a sip from a crystal glass of wine he had been holding in his hand. His voice was as serene as his impenetrable eyes, floating through the room with incredible ease.

Lossenel let out a light laugh, the sound like tiny silver bells as she turned to face her eldest brother.

"I told you he would be last."

It was Arahaelon's turn to let out a small laugh, muttering something she could not catch in return, eyes narrowing at his sister.

"Why are we here?" She whispered to Legolas in a low voice, only making his smile widen as his infinite blue eyes started at hers.

"We gather here before going down into the Halls, waiting for everyone to be ready and for the guests to arrive at the celebration." He explained softly and she felt a new wave of nerves wash over her as she realized that, as it had been in Imladris, the royal family would be making a formal entrance into the celebration.

"You will have to tell me what to do and when to do it" She whispered in return only managing to make him laugh at her words, the sound making her smile.

"You will do fine, Almarëa." She turned her face around, surprised at the Crown Prince's voice as he added to the conversation. She found his impenetrable green eyes looking directly at her, so unreachable and hard and yet so serene and kind, completely unreadable.

The door was pushed open in that exact moment, breaking Arahaelon's stare as he turned to look at the entrance. She turned to look as well, only to find Tadion already walking into the room, looking as royal and elegant as all of his siblings. Like Legoas, he wore blue formal robes, only that his were a deeper shade of blue. He looked as peaceful as ever, his face completely untroubled and comfortable, as if he were simply going to walk around the gardens and not an important feast. He looked incredibly handsome, his eyes seeming to mock everything around him, a look she had seen many times in the twins' eyes. His clear blue eyes met hers, and a wide grin formed in his eyes, as carefree and peaceful as ever.

"Looks like you will have to make an effort to get an ellon's attention tonight, Lossie." He said as his playful eyes turned to meet the Princess' iced green blue ones, a smirk on his face.

Legolas laughed as a response, and she saw the Crown Prince disguising a grin by taking a sip of his wine. The stunning Princess of Mirkwood narrowed her eyes at Tadion, unable to keep her lips from curving up in a smile at her brother's playful tone.

"I am not dancing with you tonight, Tadion." Lossenel stated as Tadion made his way to sit next to her on the couch, placing a kiss on her cheek as an apologetic gesture.

"It does not matter." He said, still grinning mockingly. "I will impress many other ladies tonight."

"Like last year, I am sure." Arahaelon added in a low, serene voice, and although he sounded completely serious, she was able to catch a glint of mockery in his peaceful tone.

Legolas exploded in laughter next to her as Tadion threw a glare at his oldest brother, a grin still present in his handsome face. She saw Tadion open his mouth to say something in return, but was interrupted by the sound of the door being pushed open once again.

The Elvenking gracefully walked into the room, looking tall and elegant, his sole presence seeming to emanate an aura of royalty and authority she could not fully comprehend. He wore rich formal robes in a deep wine color, the most elegant she had yet seen. Golden and silver thread traced patterns of leaves over the neckline and sleeves, an occasional miniature emerald or pearl sewed within the embroidery. The Crown of Mirkwood rested royally on his head, in a spike of silver and golden leaves, perfectly complimenting his long light bond hair. Even without the crown there would be no doubt that he was the King.

"And what exactly happened last year, my son?" The Elvenking's ice blue eyes fell on Tadion, his expression serene, a small smile on his face as he flawlessly walked into the piece. Lossenel suppressed a laugh as Tadion's eyes met his father's, both of their irises in the same shade of clear blue.

"You do not want to know, Ada." Came Tadion's quiet reply as he let out a silent chuckle.

"Do I, now?" She had to make an effort to not laugh at the sight as the Elvenking raised a fair eyebrow at his second son, Legolas still freely laughing next to her.

"Ada!" Lossenel exclaimed softly, her voice as delicate as her movements as she rose to her feet and walked towards the King. "How are you tonight? You look incredibly handsome this evening."

A smile adorned the Princess' beautiful face and her eyes gleamed with light and purity as she placed a kiss on her father's cheek. The Elvenking let out a silent chuckle, eyes narrowing suspiciously, not entirely believing his daughter's performance as he allowed her to accompany him to a comfortable seat by the fire. Nonetheless, he turned his attention away from Tadion.

"I am good, Lossenel, thank you." He replied with a smile as he sat on the cushioned seat, the snowy Princess standing behind him as he sat, her pale hands pulling his light blond hair from his shoulders and straightening neatly down his back.

"And what is it exactly that you are expecting in return for this treatment, my daughter?" The King said with a smile, his tone suspicious as Lossenel's fingers continued to comb through his long blond hair.

"Nothing, of course, Ada." Replied Lossenel in her beautiful musical voice, her pale arms falling loosely over the Elvenking's shoulders.

She could not help to smile widely as the Princess silently mouthed the words 'you owe me one' to Tadion behind the King's back, her hands gently massaging his shoulders.

"And you, Lossenel, need to learn how to move your mouth without whispering the words. I can perfectly hear you from where I am." The Elvenking's serene voice echoed through the room, enjoying himself at the expense of his daughter.

A smile appeared on the King's face as Lossenel's eyes widened in surprise, looking like an elfling being caught doing mischief. Tadion laughed, narrowing his eyes at the Princess as he shook his head in accusation. Lossenel smiled guiltily, lowering her head to place another kiss on her father's cheek as he looked at her warily, still smiling.

"I…will go bring you some wine, Ada." The Princess said in between guilty chuckles as Legola's and Arahaelon joined in Tadion's laughter.

"Yes, I would say so."

Lossenel let out another chuckle as she walked to the back of the room, where one of the maids was already pouring some of the red liquid into a fine crystal cup. The King's ice blue eyes then turned to meet hers, seeming to look directly through her green ones, silently asking her how she was. She managed to smile lightly, and he smiled at her in return, ice blue eyes looking at her from head to toe.

A silent knock on the door made all six pairs of eyes turn in its direction, the Elvenking letting out a calmed "Enter" before the door was softly pushed open. A dark haired elf she had never seen stood at the doorway bowing his head respectfully as his eyes met his King's.

"Everything is ready, Your Majesty."

"Thank you." She heard the Elvenking say and the dark haired elf nodded his head in return and stepped aside, waiting at the door.

The King of Mirkwood rose to his feet, followed by the rest of her siblings. She copied their example, following Legolas as he exited the piece and stepped into the long hallway. Her brother offered her his arm, and she gladly took it just as she caught sight of Lossenel gently lacing her arm around the Crown Prince's offered one. She saw Lossenel whisper something silently to him, but she could not catch any of the words from where she was. Whatever it was, the Crown Prince did not answer.

"My dearest sister." She turned her head at the sound of Tadion's voice, only to find his gleaming clear blue eyes staring at hers, one arm offered for her to take.

She laughed lightly as she took his arm with her free one. He had called her sister.

Even if he had said it playfully, he still had called her his sister. It felt strange, and at the same time so welcoming. She still felt incredibly nervous about entering into this large feast among the royal family, but suddenly Tadion's playful words had made her feel more secure than she had the entire evening. She would enter the Halls not by the arms of the Prince's of Mirkwood, but by the arms of two brothers.

She had not even noticed that they had started moving, descending long staircases into the Main Hall of the Palace, two guards escorting them at the front and back. The Elvenking led the way, looking as tall and regal as ever. Lossenel and Arahaelon followed him closely behind, leaving Tadion, Legolas and her last.

"Almarëa." Tadion whispered lowly in her ear as they walked down the hall, and she was sure that only her and Legolas could hear him. "Forgive me if I said something that upset you yesterday. It was never my intention. I keep forgetting that I do not really know you, and that perhaps I should think of what I am saying before I say it."

She turned her head to face him, his clear blue eyes looking serious now, honest, holding an openness and transparency that immediately reminded her of Legolas' infinite blue eyes.

"You do not have to apologize to me. It was I who wanted to apologize to you. You have done nothing to upset me. I enjoyed your company greatly, Tadion. I was simply overwhelmed by everything, and had not really slept that night. You did nothing wrong." She immediately reassured him in an equally low voice, squeezing his arm gently as she offered him a smile.

He had been so open and accepting of her since the moment she set foot on the Palace, she could hardly believe he would think she would get upset by something he had said. Tadion smiled at her in return, his eyes once again gleaming with their peaceful carefreeness.

"I know you would have rather sit next to Elladan during breakfast, but I am not going to apologize for that." He whispered again, leaning his head closer to hers as if to make sure none other but her and Legolas could hear. She laughed at his wary tone, and she could see Legolas trying to act as if he had not heard anything at all, but failing miserably in the attempt.

She was about to say something in return, but was cut short as she saw a pair of guards opening the central one of the three pairs of doors that led into what she had learned were the King's Halls. Immediately, she felt her heart in her throat, Legolas turning his head to give a reassuring look.

The hall inside was even larger than she had thought. Thousands of elves dressed in formal robes and dresses of all different colors filled the room, their hairs, necks and writs adorned with sparkling jewels. The animated conversation quieted down as the King of Mirkwood stepped into the hall, all the elves turning in the direction of the door. Bright smiles appeared on their fair faces as they bowed their heads respectfully, those who were sitting rising to their feet. She was surprised to see not only adult elves inside the halls, but elflings as well, dressed as elegantly as their parents.

It was a sight to remember. Her eyes flew from left to right, trying to memorize every detail, as her heart seemed to freeze in her chest out of nerves. Curious eyes turned in her direction, all of the elves probably already knowing of her arrival in Mirkwood, wanting to lay eyes on the King's supposedly dead daughter for the first time. Some of them whispered to their neighbor, their eyes never leaving her as Legolas and Tadion lead her inside the hall. Others tried to look around other elves' heads, trying to get a better look at her. A few of the elflings pointed, their mothers quickly scolding them in silence.

A group of musicians played peacefully in one corner of the overly large halls, the music floating though the airs like an enchanted melody, and she could see many servants walking around the space, carrying trays filled with crystal glasses of deep red wine. She looked quickly through the faces, frantically searching for a specific set of eyes.

"Look to your right." She heard Legola's whispering lowly in her ear, not moving his lips at all as he spoke.

She immediately followed his command, turning her head to look in the indicated direction. Her dark green eyes instantly fell on a gorgeous pair of liquid silver eyes, staring at her so deeply and lovingly and sparkling so brightly with their usual light and vividness that she felt all of her nerves wash away. For a split second, every single elf in the room seemed to vanish, as she stared into the only pair of eyes that mattered to her.

She felt a wide smile grow on her lips, mirroring Elladan's bright grin as she stared into his eyes. She noticed Elrohir standing next to him, both of the twins looking elegant in their formal robes, identical silver circlets adorning their long dark hairs. Elladan wore a rich green robe, which almost surprised her. She had assumed he would wear blue, as he usually did. But this time it was as if the twins had decided to exchange colors, Elladan in green and Elrohir in a pale shade of blue, looking as identical and handsome as ever.

She turned her eyes to look at Legolas as they made their way towards a long table placed slightly higher than the others. Legolas' infinite blue eyes were looking at her, a mischievous grin on his face. Her heart nearly flipped as she recognized that both of the twins, as well as many other elves who looked to be high ranking and noble, were standing in that same table to which they were heading. Of course, the sons of Elrond would sit at the King's table; they were royalty after all.

"Thank you." She whispered, trying her best not to even mover her lips.

"Only a quick reminder: Ada is also here." She heard Legolas add, grinning like an elfling about to do something that has been forbidden to him.

"And I am here too." Her grin only widened and she tried not to show her amusement in her face as Tadion whispered on her other ear. "So tell Elladan to keep that in mind."

The Elvenking reached a throne-like chair at the head of the table, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture, motioning for everyone to sit at their places along the numerous tables that filled the space. A chorus of chairs being pulled and elves sitting down on their respective seats echoed through the room.

Tadion pulled out a chair for her, next to the rest of her siblings at the center of the table. She could not help but grin wider as she noticed that Elladan was sitting directly next to her, to her left, while Legolas took the chair to her right. Tadion, Lossenel and Arahaelon sat across from her, and Elrohir to Elladan's other side.

Every pair of eyes remained expectantly on the King, now the only elf standing in the room, and she copied them, her eyes also falling on his royal figure. She heard his peaceful, yet powerful voice dance through the Hall, elvish words flowing smoothly from his mouth, not needing to raise his voice to get every single elf's attention. She could not understand a single word he was saying, but his gentle smile and open arms told her that it was some kind of welcoming.

She understood her name among the flawless words, the King gracefully motioning to her with a hand, his movements effortless and weightless. She felt her heart drumming in her throat, a new wave of nerves consuming her as every pair of eyes once again turned in her direction, curiously staring at her, scrutinizing every single detail of her appearance. The only thing that seemed to reassure her slightly was the fact that most of the elves were smiling as they did so.

Involuntarily, she moved her eyes to the King, attempting to look away from the thousands stares. A slight calmness washed over her as she found the Elvenking's infinite pair of ice blue eyes staring directly into hers, open and reassuring, holding a sparkle that mirrored the smile on his face.

The stare, however, only lasted a second, as the King directed his impenetrable gaze to the crowd once more, continuing his speech. A sight of relief silently left her lips as the curious eyes turned to look at the King once more, listening attentively as he spoke.

She felt Elladan moving his hand under the table, falling over hers, which rested neatly folded on her lap, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her eyes turned to him, feeling all of her nerves and fear lifting as she looked into his liquid silver eyes. His face remained perfectly composed, but his eyes sparkled with a hidden smile. She distantly heard the Elvenking going quiet, and then the deaf sound of elegant robes moving around as he took his seat.

Conversation quickly flourished through the room, animated voices muffled by one another into an unintelligible melody, giving the halls a joyful air. Many more servants started to appear, bringing golden trays of food to the tables, and filling the cut crystal cups on each place with wine.

As the meal went by, her wonder did not diminish, her eyes still trying to absorb as much as she could. She had never seen a feast like this one. Not even the one in Imladris. The abundance of fine foods, wine, jewels and sparkling colors of robes and dresses was beyond what she could have possibly imagined. Some of the younger elflings had already fled their seats, running around the tables, or curiously standing by the musicians.

"You look beautiful." Elladan whispered softly to her, his words merging with the animated murmur of the other conversations.

She turned to face him, unable to hide the smile from her face. Elrohir and Tadion were engaged in an animated conversation, nearly not giving the other time to finish the sentence before taking over to speak.

"You certainly outshine Lossenel tonight." He added, rising his voice a little.

"I heard you, Elladan." The Princess of Mirkwood quickly commented, smiling widely as her ice green-blue eyes narrowed at the elder twin.

"I meant for you to hear me, Lossie." She could not help but laugh at his response, failing in her attempt to glare at him as he teased Lossenel. The Princess of Mirkwood let out a musical laugh before turning her attention back to Arahaelon, deciding on ignoring Elladan.

"What did he say?" She nodded discretely in the King's direction as she took a sip of her wine. The Elvenking was now surrounded by a small group of elves that had come to greet him.

"You did not miss much." He flashed her one his flawless smiles as he spoke. "He thanked everyone for being here and wished everyone an enjoyable time tonight. Then he introduced you as his daughter saying that you were also joining us tonight. And then every single ellon turned his eyes on you."

She laughed as his eyes flashed at the last sentence, narrowing slightly. She wanted to kiss him, but she knew that the entire hall would be keeping watch on her for the length of the night; The Elvenking would be keeping watch on her for the length of the night.

Through the corner of her eyes she could see the King's eyes looking in her direction, seeming to be focused on Elladan rather than on her, their expression unreadable, but she was not sure she wanted to look into them to try to read it.

"The King is watching you." She whispered to him, and his sparkling silver eyes turned to meet hers.

"I know." Not even the lightest glint of worry could be heard in his calmed voice. "I would be surprised if he were not."

Elladan's tranquility made her relax a little, and she let the subject vanish form her mind. She did not know if he King knew about her and Elladan, but she knew that he was not a fool, and sooner or later he would find out. She felt Elladan's hand give hers another gentle squeeze under the table

The meal progressed animatedly, the chatter flowing constantly through the hall, merging with the sweet music. Many times she had had to turn her attention away from Elladan and her siblings to meet an elf who would walk to her only to greet her. At first, she had tried to remember their names and faces, but all too soon she knew it would be an impossible task. They had all been incredibly welcoming, and she had gotten many 'what a pleasure to have you back' and 'she is the Queen's replica'.

The King's eyes kept flying in her direction every two minutes, smiling widely at her, ice blue eyes gleaming encouragingly as all of these strange elves greeted her. The Elvenking himself was surrounded by a large group of elves, nearly every elf in Mirkwood wanting to personally greet their King, and many of them would also travel to where her siblings were, wanting to greet every member of the royal family.

A joyous waltz had started playing, and she could catch the elegant figures of gracefully dancing pairs, moving flawlessly through the large central space in a breathtaking swirl of colors and jewels. The celebration was no longer confined to the tables now, elves simply walking around in groups, eager to spend time with each other, conversing and smiling.

Elflings continued to run around, making their way in between the dancing couples. She chuckled lightly as one little blond elfling ran straight into the King's legs, looking startled at the unexpected collision. A beautiful lady quickly lifted the elfling form into her arms, throwing him a look before apologizing to the King. The Elvenking waved off her apology as he chuckled softly, and the lady walked away with the tearing up elfling as the King reassumed his conversation with a familiar looking blond elf. She recognized him from the night in which he had come searching for his King at early hours of the morning. She did not know who he was, but could tell that he was one of the highest-ranking elves and knew the King very well by the informal way in which they spoke.

She felt a hand fall lightly over her right shoulder, and she turned her heard up to meet Legolas' infinite blue eyes as he smiled at her.

"Would you like to dance, Rëa?" She felt her smile widen as he used her new nickname, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Next to her she could see Elladan raising a questioning eyebrow, his liquid silver eyes silently teasing her.

"I would love to." She accepted her brother's hand as she rose to her feet, her dress swirling around her in a weightless dance of pale rose and silver.

She turned her eyes to glance at Elladan as Legolas started to lead her to where the other couples swirled immersed in a dazzling waltz. Her eyes caught sight of the Elvenking's royal figure making his way to Elladan, touching his back to get his attention.

"Peredhil" She heard the King say in a joyful, polite tone, yet his eyes looked dangerous as he smiled at Elladan. The elder twin rose to his feet, and she could hear him adding a 'My Lord' politely as he nodded his head respectfully.

She tried to discretely focus her attention on the two of them, but the task was proving harder as Legolas led her through the room. She concentrated all of her hearing senses on their voices as they became more and more distant.

"It is a pleasure to have you here for the celebrations." The King's tone was as polite and peaceful as ever, his smile still present on his face, but his eyes pierced Elladan without mercy. "Pardon my confusion, but are you Elladan? Or are you Elrohir?"

"That depends on the situation." She heard Elladan answer, his voice nearly becoming impossible to hear through the crowd. She was able to catch the sound of the King letting out a laugh at Elladan's words.

"Elladan." The King added, quickly figuring out which twin he had in front of him. "A word please."

As Legolas gracefully twirled her through the hall she caught sight of the Elvenking walking to a more private corner of the room, Elladan following closely behind, both of them disappearing into the crowd, where she could no longer hear nor see the interactions between the two, leaving her only with her heart drumming restlessly inside her chest…

Here is chapter 9! I hope you enjoy reading it! Please let me know what you think of it! It's slightly longer than the others, and I will try to make the next update as soon as I can!

Again, thanks many many many times to those of you who reviewed my previous chapter, I can never say thank you enough, and want to let you know that this chapter is specially for you, I hope this short wait brightens your day if only a little: Mary, Martine9295, SarahWeasley, CalathielKat, Coco99, CeffylGwyn, Jibril, AmazingWriter123, booklover1598, Mj, luckyponygirl, Danda225, wonderpanda10, Paperlanterns86, gossiphurl, Wtiger5, and xX-MissyMoo-Xx

I will send you all personal replies shortly, but first I wanted to let you have this chapter to enjoy!

Love,

Elena


	10. Silver Ribbons

Legolas gracefully twirled her in a gentle waltz, each and every one of his steps completely flawless, making her have to concentrate in order to follow. She could see Elrohir and Tadion sitting not to far from them, the latter laughing heartedly at whatever it was the younger twin was saying. Her insides felt as if they had been tied in a knot out of nerves as her eyes searched for Elladan through the crowd.

"What do you think the King is telling Elladan?" She asked her brother as he led her among the dancing couples. Legolas let out a laugh, his infinite blue eyes looking at hers amusedly.

"I do not have the faintest idea." He admitted, the lightness of his tone doing nothing to make her feel less anxious.

"Elladan will be fine, Rëa." He seemed to be able to read her thoughts inside her eyes, for he smiled at her reassuringly. "It is not as if Ada will lock him in the cellars to prevent him from going anywhere close to you."

"Can he do that?" Her eyes widened at the possibility, although she knew her brother was simply playing with her. She knew the Elvenking would not even think of doing such a thing.

Legolas laughed again, his eyes seeming to tease her as he twirled her around once more. He shook his head lightly at her and she could not help but smile. She caught sight of Tadion joining in the waltz, flawlessly leading a fair looking dark haired lady who looked as if she could not believe her luck. She tried her best to suppress a chuckle at the lady who seemed to be having the time of her life as she danced with the Prince of Mirkwood.

Her eyes searched again through the room, watching over the crowds of elves walking around, or simply sitting and conversing with one another as the music softly played in the joyful air. She noticed Arahaelon and Lossenel sitting on a table somewhat to the back of the room, talking softly.

As if he had felt her staring at him, the Crown Princes' impenetrable green eyes turned in her direction, catching hers in that deep and powerful emerald stare. He smiled at her as he stared, one hand softly waving in her direction, the movement so faint and effortless. She smiled in return, looking away after that, embarrassed to have been caught staring.

She chose instead to focus her eyes on the younger twins' handsome figure as he made his way to where Lossenel sat. She saw Elrohir offer his hand to her, and the snowy Princess accepted it with a light laugh, saying something to Arahaelon before allowing Elrohir to lead to the dance floor.

She risked another look at the Crown Prince, letting out a breath as she found he was no longer gazing in her direction. He looked incredibly royal, everything about him seemed flawless and serene, his face perfectly relaxed. She saw his unreadable emerald eyes sweep through the dancing elves, but he made no attempt to move from his peaceful spot, casually overlooking the hall. Some seconds later a tall blond elf came to take the seat Lossenel had recently vacated, and Arahaelon turned to look in his direction, easily starting another conversation.

"Does he not dance?" She nodded in the direction of the Crown Prince, her eyes falling once again on Legolas' infinite blue ones.

"Who? Arahaelon?" He said as he turned his face in the direction she had indicated. She nodded her head as a response, Elrohir and Lossenel twirling past her peripheral vision.

"Yes, of course he does." Legolas' voice sounded casual, as if the subject was of little importance. "I would say he is the best dancer out of us."

She turned her eyes to glance at the Crown Prince once again, only to find him still talking calmly with the blond elf she did not know. Arahaelon smiled softly as he spoke, his impenetrable eyes coated with their usual serene lightness, polite and elegant, without letting any single emotion or thought break through the sealed emerald surface. His expression remained as mysterious as ever, but she could make out that he had no intention in joining the dance.

She was about to let the subject go when she caught sight of the Crown Prince suddenly rising to his feet, the blond elf who had been talking with him following his example, bowing his head respectfully as he easily found another group of elves to talk to. Her eyes remained fixed on Arahaelon as he gracefully turned around, his emerald green robes swirling elegantly around him as he slipped out of the hall unnoticed.

"He is leaving?" She whispered to Legolas, unable to hide her curiosity. Her brother's head turned around once again, catching sight of the Crown Prince as he silently disappeared out the doors.

"Let him be." His voice was low, more serious than before as his eyes stared deeply into hers, seeming to debate whether or not to continue speaking.

"He is injured. I do not think he wanted you to know." He said at last, his voice lowering in volume. Her eyes widened involuntarily, unable to hide her astonishment at the unexpected news, but Legolas interrupted her before she could even open her mouth to say anything.

"It is nothing serious. It happened early this morning, while you were still asleep. A spider attacked him as his guards as they patrolled the forest. He moved fast enough so the spider did not really bite him and only managed a long cut. The amount of venom that made it into the wound was minimal."

"Is h-

"He is fine." Legolas added before she could even finish her question, the honesty in his eyes making her fully believe his words. "He has been cared for, and there is nothing to worry about, but spider venom can sting badly. He had a mild fever this afternoon, as was to be expected, but it already passed. I honestly was surprised that he came to the feast at all"

Her eyes involuntarily turned to the large pairs of doors through which the Crown Prince's elegant figure had disappeared. He had looked incredibly fine, and she was sure that none of the thousands of elves in the feast had noticed anything was wrong with their Prince.

"Then why did he come?" She asked lowly, not really believing that the Crown Prince had been forced to attend the feast if he did not feel like going.

"I can guess many reasons for that." Legolas shrugged as he spoke, gracefully twirling her among the dancing couples. "He is the Crown Prince, and our people were expecting to see him tonight. Ada told him that he was excused if he did not want to come, but I know Arahaelon did not want to let anyone down."

She nodded her head silently, processing his words. She knew nothing about her oldest brother. She could not see trough his impenetrable eyes and perfectly peaceful expression, no matter how hard she tried. He seemed so distant, rarely addressing her at all, and she did not know what to say to him.

"The reason he told Lossenel, however, was a different one." Her eyes turned to meet Legolas' infinite blue ones as he spoke again. "He said that he did not want to miss our first winter's solstice with you."

The words downed heavily on her, wishing that even if for only a minute, she could gather the courage to simply say something to the Crown Prince. He was an enigma to her, liquid emotions hidden behind the unbreakable hard surface of his emerald green eyes, so close to her, and yet so unreachable.

Her thoughts were quickly deviated as she saw Elrohir lightly touching Legolas' shoulder, silently asking to dance with her. Her brother smiled to her before letting the younger twin take over. She let Elrohir lead her through the floor, as expertly and flawlessly as Legolas, his silver eyes sparkling with mischief, identical to those of his twin.

"There is a group of young elves placing bets on which of them will have the courage to ask you to dance first." His voice openly teased her as his mocking eyes mirrored his wide grin. "Elladan will not be very happy."

She laughed at his teasing eyes, enjoying the calming presence of the younger twin. Her eyes quickly scanned the halls for the hundredth time, but she found no sing of Elladan.

"I too would love to know what exactly is King Thranduil telling Dan." Her eyes immediately fell on his sparkling silver ones as he easily read her thoughts. The mocking grin was still in his face, making it impossible for her not to smile.

"I thought you would know." She admitted to him. "I was going to ask you that."

"Do you really think Elladan would let me into his mind right now?" He chuckled as he spoke, one dark eyebrow raised in bewilderment. She could not help but laugh in return. At least Elrohir did not seem worried.

"So are you dancing with me in order to prevent any of those elves you mentioned to do so until Elladan returns?" It was her turn to tease him, her smile widening as his grin reappeared on his handsome face.

"Do you think me capable of that, Rina?" His silver eyes looked shocked, purely innocent and with the best intentions, yet the faint gleam in their depths and his mischievous grin told otherwise. "Can I not simply enjoy a dance with my sister out of pure pleasure?"

She laughed in return, shaking her head lightly at him. Of course he would be making fun of her because of the number of siblings she now had and still did not know very well. Typical Elrohir.

"I am not your sister." She said between chuckles, unable to contain her smile at his teasing silver eyes and wide grin. His grin only widened at her words, eyes sparkling with more mischief than before.

"Yet." He whispered lowly, his eyes sparkling more vividly than she had ever seen them, his mischievous grin mirrored in his deep grey irises.

She opened her mouth to ask what he had meant, but forgot immediately as her eyes spotted Elladan reappearing in the halls. His eyes instantly found hers, liquid silver irises looking as deep and bright as ever. She could not see anything different in his expression as he smiled at her, quickly making his way through the groups of elves, eyes never leaving hers. She had hardly even noticed that Elrohir had stopped dancing, looking at her with a mocking grin as he saw his twin approaching.

"My turn." Elladan addressed his mirror image with an equal grin, taking her hand as Elrohir stepped away.

His endless silver eyes stared into hers again as he started to softly lead her in a graceful waltz. She could not take herself to look away from his eyes, deeply enjoying the simple act of dancing with him.

"What happened?" She asked, trying her best to hide her anxiety from showing in her voice, although she knew perfectly well that he could feel it through their bond. "What did the King tell you?"

Elladan let out a soft musical laugh, and she guessed that things could not have gone that bad if he was here dancing with her. She felt his hand that rested on her waist gently pulling her closer, the movement perfectly going unnoticed by the rest of the dancing elves.

"Let us simply say that King Thranduil does not like me now as much as he used to" She laughed lightly at his words, knowing that he would not explain further.

"Rina, why do you keep calling him 'the King'?" Elladan's gorgeous silver eyes looked at her questioningly, his voice low and soft. "He is your father."

She looked guiltily at her feet, her eyes suddenly interested in the intricate silver patterns of her pale rose dress. She shrugged lightly as a response, following Elladan as he swayed her around the polished marble floor. He danced so gracefully, her steps easily following his, as if her body had been synchronized with his, feeling peaceful and secure in his arms.

"I know it might not feel that way, but it never will if you do not at least try to think of him as your father." She looked up at the sweet sound of Elladan's low voice, letting herself free fall into pools of liquid silver. He looked at her deeply, gently, so honest and comforting that she could not look away. "You certainly are his daughter. He just made that _very_ clear."

"I know." She breathed out as only reply, letting her head fall slightly.

"Do not feel bad!" She heard Elladan exclaim softly, his tone forgetting all of its previous seriousness as the hand on her waist gave her a tiny tickle. She jumped slightly in return, laughing involuntarily as she threw him a look. "That is much better. I have just been life threatened in multiple very creative ways, so I want to see you smiling."

She could not help but laugh, loosing herself in his endless silver eyes as he smiled at her. His eyes were so deep, so loving, that she wanted for the moment to last eternally. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of the Elvenking speaking with a group of elves some feet away.

"Was he very angry?" Her voice betrayed more of her worry than she had wanted to. To her surprise, his gleaming silver eyes softened, his face peaceful and serious as he smiled at her faintly.

"No." His voice was lower, deeper, all signs of mockery and playfulness gone from it. "It was not anger what I saw on his face."

The joyful waltz came to an end, some of the elves leaving the dance floor before another piece started playing. Elladan led her away, both of them sitting on the table in which Lossenel, Legolas, Tadion and Elrohir currently sat. She noticed that some of the families had already started exchanging gifts, elves walked around the large space, handing finely wrapped presents in all different sizes.

She smiled widely at the sight. The elflings eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement, all of them having received at least one present. Nearly every table in the overly large hall was topped with presents. She had never seen this many gifts in her entire life. A table in one corner of the room was already piled up with unopened gifts, elves placing even more on it.

"Looks like there will be a lot of unwrapping to do tonight." Commented Legolas with a full smile as he nodded in the direction of said table.

"You are such an elfling." Tadion laughed as he spoke and Legolas turned to glare at him, his smile still on his face.

"Besides" Continued Tadion "the majority of those gifts are for Almarëa, not for you. I already checked."

"_You _are such an elfling, Tadion." She could not help but laugh as Lossenel joined in the conversation, throwing Tadion a look as she spoke.

"For me?" She asked Tadion as she raised one questioning eyebrow. "Who could be sending me gifts? I do not know anyone here." She chuckled as she spoke, her eyes still awed at the enchanting sight of elves walking around while handing presents to each other.

"True." Tadion said, his clear blue eyes staring at her as he smiled. "But that does not mean that nobody knows who you are. It is a welcoming gesture."

She did not know if she should laugh at his words or not. It felt so unreal. She had received only one gift a year, and it had been from her mother in the occasion of her birthday. For her, a welcoming gesture was a smile or some words, maybe even offering some tea, but never gifts. Besides, she did not even know from who the gifts were, she knew next to no one in this place. She could not help but feel slightly guilty at that fact. She did not have gifts to give in return. Being the younguest Princess of Mirwood was proving to be far more different from being Elerrina than she had thought.

"I do not have gifts to give." She confessed silently to Tadion, who merely smiled wider at her. She only had one gift to give that night, and she was not even sure if it was considered a gift for it had never really been hers. Could giving someone something that was already theirs be considered a present?

"You do not need to." Tadion chuckled softly as he spoke, his clear blue eyes making her feel tranquil. "We give a present to every family from all of us."

"Come, let us go find Ada."Lossenel said as she rose to her feet, Legolas and Tadion imitating her.

She accepted Tadion's hand as he pulled her to her feet before turning to face Elladan. She found his sparkling silver eyes staring into hers, a gorgeous smile lightening his handsome face.

"You have still not told me when can I open my present?" She whispered at him with a smile as her siblings made their way towards the Elvenking, Legolas standing a couple of feet away, patiently waiting for her before joining his siblings.

Elladan grinned at her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently before letting it go.

"Not yet." Was his simple reply, his eyes seeming to mock her. She let out a light chuckle before turning to join Legolas.

Her brother flashed her one is his flawless smiles as he led her towards the large table at which the rest of her family now sat. The Elvenking's ice blue eyes met hers as she sat down, a smile on his fair face. He looked so incredibly royal in this elegant setting, sitting so serene and regal as all the other elves continued to roam about the halls, giving gifts away or dancing to the gentle music. She saw the King's narrowed eyes overlook her and the rest of her siblings, then turning to quickly scan the large halls before falling on Lossenel.

"Where is Arahaelon?" The King asked softly, his brow furrowing slightly.

"He retired." Lossenel informed plainly, and the Elvenking nodded his head in understanding before turning his gaze to look at Legolas.

"Could you have someone take his gifts to his rooms?" Legolas smiled at his father and nodded his head before rising from his seat and walking towards one of the servants who passed nearby.

She let her eyes scan the room, only to find many pairs of curious eyes attentively observing their table. She guessed that watching the royal family exchange their gifts seemed to be an interesting thing for many of the elves in the feast. Legolas returned some seconds later, silently lowering himself on his seat.

"Well, Arahaelon is not here, therefore, Lossenel, my daughter, you start?" The Elvenking elegantly motioned to the small pile of presents that rested on the table. Confusion took over her for a moment, and she turned her head around to look at the other table upon which remained the presents that Tadion and Legolas had said were for her family. Then why were some other presents here?

"Start what?" She mutterd quietly to Legolas, who smiled widely at her before answering.

"Handing the gifts." He explained in the same quiet tone.

"You pick a gift from the pile and read the name on the card, then you hand it to that person." She heard Tadion jump into the conversation, a handsome smile on his relaxed face as his clear blue eyes stared at her. "If you pick your own gift you have to open all of yours last out of politeness, so try not to pick yours."

She could not contain a smile, the strange tradition making her heart fill with a joy she had never felt before. Everything felt so surreal to her. She had been noticing the entire night the comfortable way in which her siblings spoke to each other, how they openly joked with one another or simply took turns in opening gifts. She had never had a large family, and yet she had never expected that the simple fact of sitting in this table waiting for names to be called could make her smile this much.

She could see other tables doing the same, families or groups of friends calling names from a central pile of presents. It seemed that after handing gifts to other families, every family would sit and hand gifts within themselves in this same routine.

She let her eyes fall on the small pile of gifts again as the snowy Princess extended her arms to grab one of the smallest presents in her pale hands. She saw the King leaning back on his throne-like chair, silently drinking from his wine as the feast continued all around them, other families also exchanging their gifts. Suddenly she understood that the difference between these gifts and the ones on the other table was that these ones were from the King to his family.

Many eyes watched attentively from other tables, but she tried to ignore them, focusing instead on Lossenel as she carefully read the name written on the gift she had chosen.

"Legolas." The Princess read out loud before handing the gift to her younger brother, the latter grinning widely as he immediately untied the delicate golden ribbon. She could not really see what was inside, but Legolas seemed very happy with whatever it was he had received.

Tadion then reached out to pick a gift from the pile, and she understood that they were going in order of age, meaning that she would be the last to pick. Although, by the number of gifts on the table she could tell that they would go on for various rounds.

"Legolas." He read out loud almost reluctantly, handing the gift to its rightful owner. Legolas' musical chuckles echoed through the air, merging with the joyful chatter and sweet music.

Then it was Legolas' turn to pick, and she watched as he grabbed one with a large silver ribbon. She saw him look at the written name before his eyes lifted to meet the King's equal pair of infinite blue eyes.

"It is for Arahaelon." He said as he handed the unopened present to the Elvenking, who nodded his head before motioning for his son to pick another one. Legolas then chose another present form the table, this time for Lossenel, the stunning Princess smiling widely as she accepted her gift.

It was now her turn to pick and she felt all four pairs of eyes turn in her direction expectantly. She could not contain a light laugh as Tadion silently pointed to himself, clear blue eyes gleaming with their usual carefreeness as he meant for her to pick a gift that was for him.

She let her eyes fall on the pile of presents, picking a tiny one from the center. She let her eyes travel to the fine handwriting on the card attached to the gift, a wave of relief washing over her as she noticed that the name had been written in the common tongue. Part of her had dreaded that she would not be able to read the name. However, when she saw the name that was written on the present she nearly wanted to laugh. She lifted her eyes to find the four pairs of expecting eyes staring at her.

"Almarëa."

Instantly, Tadion burst into laughter, Lossenel joining in.

"What part of trying not to pick your own name did you not understand?" Legolas teased her as he too let out a chorus of chuckles.

She glared at him as best as she could, staring at the gift that she now was not allowed to open. She heard some distant chuckles echoing in the hall, and she found some of the elves that had been watching silently laughing at the family scene. By the number of curious eyes watching, she suddenly had the feeling that interactions between the King of Mirkwood and his family were not a thing usually seen openly.

Several minutes later, she found herself staring at three unopened gifts in front of her, each of her siblings having received an equal number, only that they had already opened theirs.

"There are no more presents, Almarëa." Tadion said within chuckles as his clear blue looked at hers playfully. "You may finally open yours." She smiled at her brother, letting out a single chuckle.

"I…have one more gift." She said quietly, not wanting for the observing elves to hear her as she turned her eyes to meet the Elvenking's powerful ice blue ones.

She heard her siblings go quiet as they heard her words, and she could almost feel their eyes looking at her in confusion, but she avoided their stares, trying to ignore them as she concentrated on the Elvenking's attentive eyes.

"I do not really know if it can be called a gift, since it is not really mine to give." She muttered as she took out the tiny wrapped present she had been carrying in silence for the entire night.

Silently, she extended the gift towards the King, who raised a single fine eyebrow, staring at her cautiously. Slowly, almost hesitantly, the Elvenking reached out to take the present from her hand, ice blue eyes looking puzzled, his expression unreadable.

She watched in silence as the King slowly unwrapped the gift, seeming to take his time. To her despair, the curious elves that had been observing their table had noticed the new gift, and were now attentively watching their King.

Finally, the Elvenking gently lifted the top of the small box containing the present, his ice blue eyes looking at the interior. She saw him sit straighter, his smile vanishing, his expression an unreadable mask, like a petrified fine statue as his eyes remained fixed on the pin and chain holding the missing pearl that she knew were inside the tiny box. He did not say anything. He did not move.

Her heart started to race inside her chest as she felt a wave of fear invade her body, suddenly having second thoughts about handing her gift at all. More curious eyes had turned to look at the King at his lack of reaction, his breathing the only sign that he was alive…

Here is chapter 10! I hope you like it! I will try to post the next chapter as soon as possible! Please let me know what you think!

Thanks again to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Martine9295, Mj, Mary, Paperlanterns86, wonderpanda10, Danda225, Jibril-Kadamon, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, ForbiddenShadow0, AnnaComena, BigFanOfYou, Coco99, AmazingWriter123, and booklover1598. I seriously cannot tell you how much your reviews mean to me.

Love,

Elena


	11. Tear Streams

Her heart seemed to have stopped inside her chest. She felt almost every pair of watching eyes silently string at their King, curiosity easily seen on their faces. The Elvenking remained unmoving, a heavenly statue sitting royally on his throne-like chair, ice blue eyes staring at the newly unwrapped gift. His expression was a perfect stone mask, unreadable.

She saw Tadion rise form his chair, clear blue eyes narrowed in confusion as he rounded the table to stand behind his father. She watched in silence, feeling petrified, as he looked over the King's shoulder, his eyes glancing at the gift before darting back up to meet hers. Clear blue eyes were wide, astonished, seeming to study her in a way he never had before.

Tadion did not say anything, and she watched in despair as Legolas also rose to take a look at the gift, Lossenel quickly following him. She did not know if to run from the halls or to stay, she wanted to disappear, or to at least for the King to react in a way, in any way.

Legolas' eyes widened as he looked inside the tiny box, infinite blue irises instantly lifting to meet hers. He looked shocked, surprise easily readable in his face. She felt fear starting to consume her, suddenly regretting giving the King the missing pearl. Had that been wrong? Had she offended him somehow?

Ever so slowly, the King's eyes lifted in her direction, his perfectly composed face still a stone mask, entirely relaxed and looking as royal as ever. Ice blue eyes met hers, piercing her dark green ones, so silent and impenetrable, not allowing her to see behind their iced wall.

Most of the hall had gone silent by now, nearly every elf seeming to have noticed that something was going on. She could see out of the corner of her eyes some of the elves whispering silently to each other, trying to get informed on what was happening.

Slowly, the King's lips curved into a smile, the gesture polite and perfectly well orchestrated, but never touching his impenetrable eyes. He nodded his head in thanks, before placing the tiny box with the gift inside his robes' pocket. Every single one of his movements was so elegant and polite, and yet so cold and distant…so Kingly.

The perfect smile remained on is handsome face, almost looking genuine, and she was sure every single elf in the feast believed it, for she felt the eyes starting to look away, once again concentrating on their own conversations and dances. Everything seemed different to her now, the joyful aura of the room suddenly feeling less welcoming as she gazed at the King's perfectly composed expression.

Every second seemed to stretch into hours, every noise and every sight suddenly becoming so distant. She did not know what to do, did not know what to think, regret slowly starting to consume her. Her siblings had all returned to their seats, taking their father's polite yet distant reaction as an example to act as if nothing had happened. None of the elves seemed to be paying attention now, everything appearing to be once again normal and joyful to them.

Elegantly, the Elvenking rose to his feet, looking tall and regal, not saying a single word as he casually walked through the halls, silently disappearing through the large pairs of doors. She felt her heart stop beating, her insides feeling heavy, sinking to the ground in the worst of ways. She did not know what she was doing, or why was she doing it, but she found herself silently following, avoiding every single pair of eyes as headed towards the doors. She needed to apologize, to tell him that she had not meant to do anything wrong, but she did not really understand what had been wrong.

Outside the King's Halls, the Palace was silent, feeling more magnificent and empty that ever, the tall stone columns suddenly feeling colder and imposing, even in their delicacy. She felt scared, regret invading her heart as she walked through the large Main Hall. She could see the King in the distance, rounding a corner that led to the main terraces of the Palace. She could tell that he knew she was following, but he did not turn to look as he disappeared from her sight. She quickly walked in that direction, not really knowing what was causing her sudden impulse.

The main terraces were overly large in size, opening widely towards the forest-like gardens. She had never seen them empty, and suddenly, in their solitary silence, they seemed larger than ever before, illuminated only by the frail silver light of the Moon.

The Elvenking stood silently in the darkness, hands lightly resting on the delicate railing as he stared into the forest ahead. The pale moonlight washed over him, shimmering at the silver and gold embroidery of his wine colored formal robes, making his long blond hair looked silver in color and reflecting beautifully on his crown. She stopped in her march, standing at the entrance of the terraces, not daring to take a step further, her body suddenly feeling petrified.

Without warning, the King of Mirkwood turned around to face her, everything about his tall figure looking royal and elegant. And yet, his ice blue eyes were no longer sealed behind a Kingly mask, but vast and open, like infinite clear blue oceans, stormed with a swirl of emotions she could not name. Happiness? Sadness? Pain? She could not tell, but she felt overwhelmed by it.

"I am sorry." She heard her own voice saying, but she hardly recognized it. She felt small, like a child who had just insulted the grown-ups. The King's eyes continued to look at hers, suddenly looking puzzled.

"What for?" His voice was low, nearly a whisper, the same swirl of emotions that she saw in his eyes was hearable in it. She opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again, not finding an answer to his question.

His ice blue eyes continued to look at hers, never before had she seen so many different emotions in those infinite eyes, never so close to surface, so overwhelmingly transparent and unguarded. He was staring at her, studying her closely, exactly in the same way he had done the first time she stepped into his study upon her arrival at the Palace.

"I…" She started, her voice shaky as she hesitated whether or not to speak. "You had lost that, had you not?"

Her voice was low, sounding frail and unsure, feeling guilty for whatever emotions it was that seemed to consume the King's usually guarded ice blue eyes. She saw his hand travelling to his pocket, taking out the tiny box containing the pin and the missing pearl. He twisted the box in his fingers, as if he could not take himself to open it again. His eyes found hers once more, and once again she was swept into that hurricane of unamend emotions, so intense and unguarded.

"Yes." He whispered to her, his voice so low she was not sure if she had really heard it or had merely read his lips. She saw him open his mouth, taking a breath before finally speaking again.

"How did you know it was mine?" Every word was pronounced so carefully, so slowly, as if he had to make an effort to speak them out loud. She felt once again overwhelmed, unable to look away from his infinitely expanding eyes, so consuming.

"Pearls were not things that usually appeared in the house where I lived." She managed to say, her body feeling frozen to the marble floor, feeling his eyes staring deeply into hers.

The Elvenking took a silent deep breath as he closed his eyes, turning around to face the forest ahead, his back to her. A long second passed in silence, her body feeling cold, her heart sinking with guilt, still not understanding the King's reaction, or what had been wrong with giving him back the pearl that had already been his.

"How did a thing like a pearl get under my childhood bed." She heard her own voice asking the question she had asked herself many times as an elfling, hoping that this time she would get an answer.

The King's shoulders fell slightly, but he did not turn to face her, his hands leaning his weight one the frail, elegant railing. Without warning she felt a familiar strange sensation take over her, the large terraces and silent forest suddenly disappearing from her view as new set of images took over her vision.

_A moonless night covered the silent forest outside the tall windows of the elegant study. Only two silent figures occupied the large room. The Elvenking sat quietly on a comfortable seat near the fire, ice blue eyes lost in the dancing flames that casted reflections in strange patterns over his fine light blue robes. No crown rested on his head, his long light blond hair free from all of its braids, falling elegantly over his shoulders and down his back. He looked lifeless, his eyes empty of emotion or thought. _

_A familiar looking blond elf stood silently behind his King, dark blue eyes looking absently at the ground. She recognized him as the high-ranking elf she had seen many times with the King, but she still did not know his name. _

_The delicately carved wooden door opened with a deaf sound, both elves quickly lifting their eyes in that direction as another elf walked into the room. The King rose to his feet, ice blue eyes silently piercing the newcomer with a force she had thought impossible. _

"_Did you find her?" The King demanded sharply, eyes looking desperate for an answer. _

_The new elf in the room lowered his head, eyes looking at the polished marble floor, his gesture giving away his answer before he spoke it. _

"_No, My Lord." He spoke softly, and she could easily tell the elf did not like being the one to have to tell these news to his king. He was dressed in travelling clothes, his dark hair slightly coming out of his intricate braids. _

_The Elvenking let out a sigh, his eyes once again turning to stare emptily at the cracking fire. _

"_Send another party and search again." The King did not turn to look at the dark haired elf as he spoke, the latter lifting his eyes to look at his King, something that resembled pity filling his greyish irises. _

"_My Lord…" The dark haired elf started, falling silent as the King's sharp eyes turned again in his direction. _

"_I know what you have come to tell me, but I will not make her death official until you come here to inform me that you have found her body." The King's voice was harsh, cold authority easily hearable in the sound as his hard eyes started icily at the elf. _

"_Send another party and search again." The King repeated flatly, sinking back down on his seat as the dark haired elf bowed respectfully, silently taking his new order. _

"_Yes, My Lord." The dark haired elf silently exiting the room, leaving the two silent figures alone again in the large study. _

_The elegant blond elf that had remained quiet and still the entire time suddenly moved, softly kneeling next to where the King sat, their heads at the same level now. _

"_Thranduil, it has nearly been a year…"_

"_I can keep track of time perfectly well, Doronor." The blond elf did not look surprised or hurt by the King's hostility, the informality with which he addressed his King letting her know that they were close friends. _

"_Even if she survived the orc attack, she could not have survived this long in the woods." The blond elf, Doronor, continued as if he had not heard the King's cold interruption. _

_The Elvenking did not say anything in return, acting as if he had not heard a word the elegant elf had just said. _

"_My Lord, do you really believe your daughter is alive?" _

_The King's head fell into his hands, his shoulders slumped, answering the elf's question without the need of words, Doronor's hand travelling to rest lightly on the King's shoulder in a pitiful comforting gesture. _

_The image shifted, the same study now filled with the warm afternoon light, the King sitting silently at the large oak desk, tending to a tall pile of paperwork. He looked casual, peaceful eyes concentrated on his elegant writing, a crystal cup of red wine resting atop the desk. _

_A light knock on the door echoed through the room, and the King's serene and impenetrable ice blue eyes turned in its direction as he gave permission to enter. The same dark haired elf she had seen before walked into the room, bowing his head respectfully at his King as he did so. _

_The Elvenking nodded his head in acknowledgement, smiling politely at the elf, his eyes no longer harsh and unfriendly as they had been in the previous images. _

"_How may I help you, Cunir?" She heard the King asking politely as the elf reached his desk. _

_The elf, Cunir, smiled gently as he reached his King, his eyes beaming with joy, making the Elevenking look at him in puzzlement. _

"_I see you had a good trip back from Imladris." The King commented, clearly amused at the elf's beaming expression. _

"_Indeed, My Lord." The elf spoke, his smile not fading from his face. "My brother and I had a very eventful journey on our way back." _

_The Elvenking raised a fair questioning eyebrow, and dark haired elf continued speaking. _

"_We passed through a small village of men, not far from Imladris. A young woman raises an elfling as a human child, by her clothes and behavior she can easily pass for a four year old human child. We asked around to the men. The elfling's name is Elerrina, and the woman, Naeraviel, they told us, has been caring for the child after she found her alone in the forest when she was nothing but a baby. They said that the girl was found among a large group of dead elves." _

_The King's smile had vanished from his face, his expression entirely unreadable as he listened carefully, eyes looking as he did not believe what his ears were hearing, filled with so much hope that it seemed to almost distract the elf from continuing his tale. _

"_She has long golden hair and beautiful green eyes. She looks to be about the age Princess Almarëa would be, and she fits the Princess' physical description as well." _

_The King had risen to his feet by now, his eyes unbelieving, a heart-breaking smile on his perplexed face. He seemed to be processing the words, silently staring at the smiling elf in front of him. _

"_After all these years..." She heard the King whisper, although if to himself or Cunir she could not tell. _

_The image changed again, a cool summer's night now covering the dark blue skies. _

_Three elegant cloaked figures walked through the small village in which she had grown up, going unnoticed in the late hour. She watched as the three tall figures gracefully walked towards the door of the small house in which she had lived with her mother, the first of the three lightly knocking on the plain wooden door. _

_The door opened short moments later, only halfway, a young woman stepping in the small gap to look at her visitors. Naeraviel's deep brown eyes widened at the sight that greeted her, and she immediately stepped aside, opening the door wider for the three figures to step inside. She could clearly see Naeraviel's nervousness written in her face, looking incredibly plain next to these three regal looking creatures. _

_The first of the figures stepped inside silently, reaching his hands to take the hood of his fine cloak from his head, revealing a stunningly handsome face, long light blond hair contrasting beautifully against the dark green fabric of the cloak. The Elvenking wore no crown on his head, but that did not make him look any less royal. Even in this plain setting, and without his rich elegant robes, his sole presence seemed to carry a regal aura and authority. _

_Her eyes immediately noticed a very familiar, gorgeous piece of jewelry adorning his chest. The large emerald that composed the center of the pin shone in perfect harmony with the dark green color of the King's fine cloak, the tiny pearls seeming to shimmer along with its intricate silver embroidery. _

_The other two figures imitated him, stepping into the plain room at both sides of their King as Naeraviel closed the door behind them. She recognized them as the two elves she had seen before: Doronor and Cunir, standing silently next to the King, their presence seeming to be solely to ensure the King's security. _

_Naeraviel seemed stunned, looking at the three elves as if she could not believe her eyes, admiration and fear clearly readable in her deep brown irises. _

"_Excuse us for the late hour, my Lady." The Elvenking's serene, yet powerful voice echoed flawlessly through the small room, seeming to daze Naeraviel for a moment, for she did not move until some seconds after. _

"_It is alright." She said, her voice trembling slightly, words coming out in a nervous rush. "Please, make yourselves comfortable." _

_The two elves followed the King to the small wooden table in one corner of the room, nearly the only piece of furniture that filled the plain space. The Elvenking calmly sat down on the plain wooden chair, Doronor and Cunir remaining on their feet behind him as the young woman took the seat across them. _

"_I am Thranduil, and these my closest advisors, Doronor and Cunir." The Elvenking started, his voice so soft and peaceful, exuding and aura or royalty that did not pass unnoticed by Naeraviel. Every single one of his movements as graceful and effortless as ever, impenetrable ice blue eyes carrying an unquestionable authority without the need to even raise his voice. _

"_I know who you are, My Lord." Naeraviel said, looking small and insignificant next to this royal elf, her eyes betraying her bewilderment at being the in presence of this well-known historical figure. "You are the Elvenking."_

"_That is correct." The King said, nodding his head in graceful, polite gesture before continuing. "It has reached my ears that you raise an elven child here with you." _

_His voice was soft, incredibly low. Naeraviel's eyes instantly widened, betraying her sudden fear and pain as she realized why these three figures had shown up at her doorstep. _

"_Yes." The woman admitted, eyes almost pleading silently for the King not to continue. "She was a baby, and she was alone. There were no other survivors from that battle. It was darkening, and no one was coming for her. I could not leave her." _

_The Elvenking's eyes closed for a second, letting out a silent breath. When he opened his eyes again they were as impenetrable and serene as always, his face perfectly relaxed in a peaceful expression. _

"_How is she? Is she happy here?" The Elvenking continued, his eyes not betraying any emotion. _

"_Yes, she is happy, and she is very well and healthy." Naeraviel's voice was becoming more and more shaky, as if she feared the way in which the conversation would end. _

"_You have come to take her back with your kin, have you not?" the young woman finally asked, her eyes silently pleading the King to prove her wrong, her hands slightly shaking on her lap. The Elvenking took another deep breath, closing his eyes for another moment before answering. _

"_She is my daughter." _

_Naeraviel's brown eyes were wide with shock, fear clearly visible in them, her expression now looking hopeless, all of her expectations of keeping her adoptive child suddenly seeming to vanish from her. The Elvenking remained looking at her, his expression as perfectly composed as always, as if any sign of emotion would make his entire mask crumble down. _

"_No, I cannot take her with me." The King said, Naeraviel visibly relaxing at his words, now looking confused and perplexed at the sudden change of things. _

"_I have come to ask you more than I could ever ask of you, especially since you have done so much already." _

_Naeraviel patiently waited for the King to continue, her deep brown eyes watching attentively, puzzled. _

"_She is safe in here; safer than she has ever been inside my realm. She can grow up peacefully and happily here, a thing that would be impossible for her if I take her with me, no matter how much I wish that was not the case. I came to ask you to continue caring for her as your own child until she reaches her majority. Tell no one who she really is. I You will be forever in your debt."_

_The woman seemed astonished, her eyes not believing what had just been asked of her. _

"_Yes. I will care for her. I love her as my own." The young woman immediately answered, not asking the King for explanations in clear fear that he would change his mind in his request. _

_The Elvenking nodded his head, his eyes absently looking around the room, not really paying attention to anything in particular. He seemed detached from reality, lost in his own thoughts. _

"_Tell me about her, please." The King's voice had dropped to a low whisper, the evident pain in the peaceful sound making the woman's expression suddenly turn sad. _

"_She enjoys playing outside, running around with the other children." The young woman complied, her voice sympathetic, trying to sound comforting. "It takes me hours to get her back inside. She laughs a lot, and can come up with the most creative excuses to not go to bed at the hour I say. She is very curious and asks about everything. She also loves to draw, and strawberries are her favorite thing to eat."_

_The King was looking absently out the window, a sad smile suddenly appearing on his lips as he listened, the smile so pained that she felt sure it could easily make any heart shatter to pieces. _

"_Would you like to see her?"_

_The Elvenking's head suddenly snapped in the woman's direction, eyes wide, his expression stunned. _

"_No!" He said almost immediately, his eyes suddenly looking fearful, his perfectly composed mask vanishing for a split second. "I do not want her to see me."_

"_She is asleep, My Lord." Naeraviel continued, her voice calmed, almost soothing, and yet her deep brown eyes looked at the King attentivel, looking sad at the King's obvious pain. "I can assure you that she will not wake up." _

_Ice blue eyes stared at the woman's deep brown ones for a long silent second, the King seeming to be fighting with himself whether to accept the offer or not. The King then let out breath, closing his eyes as he slowly nodded his head. _

"_Very well." He said, his eyes seeming to be silently pleading to the woman, their impenetrable mask slowly starting to break against his will. _

_Naeraviel smiled softly as she rose to her feet, the Elvenking quickly imitating her, following her up the narrow staircase of the house, and leaving the other tow elves standing quietly in the room below. The woman led him to a plain wooden door, opening it quietly and stepping aside for the King to follow her into the room. _

_The familiar sight of her childhood bedroom looked as it always had to her. A small window was opened in one of the plain walls, the cool night breeze entering freely. A couple of toys laid scattered on the floor, as well as little plain brown dress, and pair of tiny shoes. _

_There, on the small bed that was placed at the center of the narrow room, she could see a very young version of herself, easily mistaken for a four-year-old human child. Golden strands of hair lay splattered freely over the white pillow, her tiny body curled on one side, holding the blankets up to her chin. Her dark green eyes were opened, glazed in elven sleep. _

_The Elvenking suddenly stopped as his eyes fell on the peacefully sleeping elfling. His perfectly composed expression suddenly vanished, a number of emotions she had never before seen in his eyes suddenly taking possession of his ice blue irises. She saw him take in a shaky breath, eyes fixed on the tiny sleeping child. Never before had she seen so much pain and at the same time so much joy mixed together in any pair of eyes. _

_The King walked towards the bed, eyes never leaving the sleeping child, as if he could not believe the sight, his lips curving up in the most joyful and at the same time most pained smile she had ever seen, all of his composure now entirely forgotten. _

_He reached the side of the small bed in only a couple of steps, one hand reaching hesitantly towards the sleeping child. He stopped midway, once again seeming to be fighting with himself, as if he was scared to touch her, but at the same time needed to do it if only to prove the child was real. _

"_Go ahead. She will not wake." Naeraviel said softly, reading the Kings hesitation from her spot near the door. _

_The Elvenking did not turn to look at the woman, his eyes did not seem capable of looking away from his sleeping daughter, and she knew that this was the first time that he saw her since her supposed death. The King's gentle hand reached down to caress the elfling's cheek softly, the touch so light and careful, as if the child was a precious thing he was scared to break. _

_The tiny version of her stirred at the touch, pulling the covers of the bed tighter around her before once again going still, breathing slowly in her sleep. The King let out a shaky breath, something that resembled more of a chocked chuckle as he sat at the edge of the bed, his had once again travelling to caress the elfling's cheek. _

_Ice blue eyes remained fixed on the child, so pained that it hurt to only see them, the saddest of smiles perpetually on his face as his hand gently rested on the child's cheek, thumb tenderly caressing the edge of her eyebrow. A tender hand softly caressed the child's cheek, and forehead, slender fingers stroking her golden hair with such gentleness and care. His other hand reached to his chest, griping at his tunic as if in physical pain._

_The elfling instantly and unconsciously responded to the touch, one tiny pale hand coming out of the tangled blankets, little fingers curling around the fine fabric of the King's dark green cloak, pressing it close to her face. It was as if the child felt secure next to this presence, as if she knew whose was the hand that tenderly caressed her face. _

"_What is her name?" She heard Naeraviel inquire form the door, her voice gentle, a gorgeous smile on her face as she watched the father lose all of his composure and guard at the sole sight of his sleeping daughter. _

"_Almarëa." _

_The King's eyes did not leave his daughter as he spoke, his pained smile only becoming wider as his tortured eyes gleamed with pride. He then leaned softly, gently placing a kiss upon the sleeping child's forehead, his hand not seeming capable of detaching from its tender task of stroking the child's long golden hair. _

_The sleeping elfling pulled at the cloak harder, her little hand unconsciously tugging at the gorgeous pin that secured it around the King's shoulder. One of the many tiny pearls that adorned the central emerald suddenly came loose, rolling onto the plain bed covers. _

_The King then sat back straight, pained and troubled eyes watered with the silvery shimmer of unshed tears. Ever so gently he uncurled the tiny hand from around his cloak, the simple motion seeming to be the hardest task he had ever done. With what seemed to be the greatest of efforts, the Elvenking rose back on his feet, looking away from the child and walking towards the door, where Naeraviel waited. _

"_I must go now." He said flatly, his voice seeming to have lost all of its life, as if every single drop of life that he possessed had been left with the elfling peacefully sleeping on the bed. _

_The woman quickly walked to bed, picking up the tiny pearl that she had noticed falling out of the King's pin. _

"_You lost this, My Lord." She said gently, showing the King the tiny pearl on the palm of her hand. _

_The King's miserable eyes turned to glance at the tiny jewel, his eyes uninterested, empty, before turning away, not caring about the pearl. _

"_I have lost many things." He said flatly, his voice so pained and at the same time so empty and lifeless that it left Naeraviel stunned for a second as the King reassumed his march. _

"_What should I tell her." The woman managed to ask just as the King reached the door. _

"_Nothing." Was the King's reply, not even turning to face the woman. "Tell her nothing." _

The images faded away, and she found herself once again standing in empty large terraces of the Palace, which suddenly felt emptier and larger than before. She did not know what she felt, she could not name the emotions that swirled through her body, they were so strong, so overwhelming. Her body felt like a cold statue, unable to react, unable to speak. Her chest felt tight, her insides crunching as her heart fell heavily.

The King had not moved an inch, perfectly still against the delicate railing, his back to her. The fresh image of this same elf sitting next to the tiny version of her on the bed was still playing on her mind. And this figure did not feel like the powerful King of Mirkwood anymore.

For a moment, she wished she had been awake that night. She wished she had been able to see him sitting next to her, wished she had been able to jump into his arms and be rocked back to sleep. The deepest, most overwhelming feeling she had yet felt washed over her as she realized that she had always known this elf. Even if her mind could not remember him, her entire self did. She had reacted to his touch. She had known who it was. Her heard sank deeper to the ground as she realized that her spirit had never forgotten his presence. He had always been her father.

She suddenly felt small, as if she was shrinking. She felt powerless, defenseless and dependent, like the little elfling that she had just seen lying asleep on the bed. Her whole body and soul felt like an incontrollable swirl of emotions she could not name, crushing her, making her smaller, her eyes unable to look away from the royal looking elf, who suddenly felt like the only thing that could make her safe at that moment.

It was as if her spirit had finally realized that which it had been missing all these years. She did not know what she was feeling, but this unparalleled pull to him that she felt within her was something that she had never felt with Naeraviel. It felt natural, and she could not control it. It was a if her entire body and spirit recognized his.

The emotions were becoming too strong for her to handle them as she silently stared at the King's tall figure. At her father's tall figure. An overwhelming pain mixed with the strongest happiness and relief she had ever felt seemed to be crushing her lungs and heart to pieces, with a force she could not understand. This was her father. Her mind kept repeating that over and over again, her throat constricting painfully at her joy, and at the same time at the incomparable pain at all the childhood years she had spent without his company.

Slowly, the Elvenking moved, looking down at the tiny box as he once again twirled it in his hands. Then, he turned around, his expression something she had never seen in his face before. Ice blue eyes met hers, looking so pained and at the same time so joyful that she felt her throat constrict even further. Suddenly those eyes were completely reachable to her, as if, for the first time, she remembered them exactly. And she guessed part of her always had.

The King carefully took the thin chain from the hung the tiny missing pearl in his hand, lifting it out of the box, eyes absently falling on the tiny jewel for a long moment, as if his mind was still trapped in the distant, painful memories she had just witnessed. Then, his ice blue eyes turned to look at hers again, and she saw in them the same look she had seen in those infinitely expanding eyes as he had looked at her sleeping form. It was a look no words could describe, a glance no other could match.

"Thank you." He said, and never before had she heard so much meaning behind those two simple words. His fist curled around the tiny pearl, but his eyes never left hers, and she could not look away. She did not want to look away.

She could no longer contain herself, her breathing coming out choked and shaky trough her tight throat. The overwhelming happiness was too much for her, merging with the piercing pain inside her heart as her eyes started to fill up with silvery tears, her vision becoming blurry.

The King opened his arms, and she did not even think before she found herself running into them, the need to be held in his safe, protective touch something that she could not comprehend. She felt herself loosing control, feeling like the tiny, defenseless elfling sleeping on the small bed. Tears started to flow out of her eyes as her body shook widely with sobs, the emotions the most overwhelming she had yet felt. And yet, her lips curved up in the most joyful of smiles as the tears streamed freely down her cheeks, her face pressed hard against the fine fabric of his robes.

She felt his arms holding her tight against him, softly stroking her hair. His touch was so gentle and comforting, the same way she had seen it be in the memories before, only that this time she did know who it was who held her securely. This time she was awake…and this time she remembered him. Merely some meters away, the great feast continued in the large halls. Elves danced and sang joyfully, enjoying the night together. But that seemed so far away and irrelevant now.

"I have you back." She heard the King whisper as she felt him place a gentle kiss on the top of her head, but that voice suddenly did not feel as the voice of the King, but the voice of her father. Her father. This was her father. Her mind could not stop repeating that to her, her joy and pain duplicating in intensity. This was her _Ada. _And every single particle in her seemed to believe it.She could not find her voice to say anything, her body wracked with choked, uncontrollable sobs, her smile only growing wider as she felt her hands gripping tightly to his robes, as if trying to prevent him from suddenly disappearing.

"I love you, my Almarëa." Her father whispered to her as she felt his hold tighten around her shaking frame, his voice sounding broken, as if he too was struggling to keep his composure. But she had lost hers a long time ago. She pressed her face tighter against his robes, feeling more childlike than before. Never in her life had she felt this kind of protection, this kind of joy and security in her spirit. It was a kind of love that she had never known before. So different from what she had felt for adoptive mother, and even more different from the love she felt for Elladan.

She pulled away from the King, not entirely letting go of him, only enough distance to look at his face. His eyes immediately looked down at her tear stroked ones, one gentle thumb carefully wiping away her cheeks, but it was useless. The streams of tears never stopped flowing from her eyes. His own ice blue eyes shimmered lightly with the silvery sparkle of fresh tears, although not a single one had been shed.

She felt her trembling lips curl up into a wider smile, her eyes not able to look away from his face, as if she was looking at him for the first time. But she was. She had looked at the King of Mirkwood many times before. But for the first time, she was looking at her father's face.

She reached her hand up to his face, her mind not even thinking of what she was doing, her body seeming to be acting on its own, guided by the swirl of emotions that seemed to consume her sobbing form. One finger softly reached his eyebrow, tracing it down to the end of his eye and continuing down his cheekbone, barely even touching him, as if her hand was simply tracing a distant memory, a memory she had not known she remembered until now.

He remained still the entire time, his arms still loosely wrapped around her small body as infinite eyes stared intently at her, shimmering with unshed tears. She let her hand fall back down to her side, felling another wave of sobs wrack her body as her trembling smile grew wider.

She had kept that tiny pearl with her during her entire childhood, never really knowing that it had been her father's all along. But suddenly, it was not the pearl what seemed important to her. No. It was he fact that she had finally found its rightful owner. She had finally found her father, and not simply the Elvenking.

"I love you too, Ada." She choked out, the words flowing out naturally from her, so easily and real.

That seemed to make it. Her father finally lost his control. She felt him press her against him once more, arms holding her so tight, as if wanting to make up for all the years they had not been able to do so. She pressed her face once again against the fine fabric at his chest, feeling his breathing becoming ragged and uneven this time, his hand once again stroking her long golden hair at the back of her head, tangling among the many intricate braids and fine hairpieces that adorned her hair. And even if she could not see his face, she knew that he was crying.

Not far from them, the feast continued jovially. The music continued to play softly in the air, more wine and food were served, presents where opened, couples were dancing. Even her own presents still remained on the table where her siblings, still wrapped and waiting to be opened. But neither her nor the King would be returning to the crowded halls.

Here is chapter 11! It is I think the longest chapter I have yet written, so my apologies for the over amount of words. Please let me know what you think of it! I hope you like it!

Again, I cannot say thank you enough times to my reviewers: Martine 9295, The Grimreaper PT, K8Y, Mary, Mj, booklover158, Paperlanterns86, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Danda225, Jibril-Kadamon, BigFanOfYou, gossipghurl, saku-kamiya, wonderpanda10, ForbiddenShandow0, AmazingWriter123, and my guest reviewer.

I will send replies to all of your reviews shortly, but first I wanted to let you have this chapter…I know I left a terrible cliffhanger on the last one, so I concentrated on updating fast to make up for it.

Love,

Elena


	12. Of Past And Future

She did not know how long it took her to finally be able to let go of her father's rich robes. Was it seconds? Minutes? Hours? She could not tell; and she did not care. Her entire body continued to shake with slight sobs, the tears still flowing from her eyes, but at a slower pace, as she finally pulled away from the King's comforting embrace.

The King softly lifted his hand, his thumb gently wiping away the tears that slowed down her cheeks. She could feel her smile still present on her lips, where she knew it would stay for a long while, even with tears in her eyes. She could not contain her tears; it felt as if her entire body could not contain this amount of joy within itself.

Her eyes remained fixed on her father's face, unable to look away from his infinite ice blue eyes, so powerful and yet now looking so soft and welcoming. His own handsome face showed the thin traces of dried tears along his cheeks, ice blue eyes still shimmering slightly as he smiled in return.

In the distance she could still hear the music softly playing inside the large Halls, where the feast continued animatedly, oblivious to the whereabouts of their King. She let her head turn in that direction, a faint chuckle escaping her mind as she remembered the ongoing celebration. Her siblings were still there, probably chatting or dancing once again.

Elladan was also inside said halls, most probably with Elrohir, although she could tell that he knew what had happened between her and her father, she knew he could feel her emotions through their bond. She knew he could feel her immense joy and pain, the emotions too overwhelming for him not to be able to perceive them, and although she could tell he was desperate to offer her his comfort, she knew that he would patiently wait for as much time as she needed with her father.

"Do you want to return to the celebration?" Her head turned back around at the King's soft voice, her eyes immediately finding his, once again unable to contain her smile.

She shook her head as a response, not really capable of formulating any words in her shaking state, hiccupped sobs still escaping her lips every once in a while. She saw the King chuckle lightly at her, eyes never leaving her face, his thumb once again wiping away the new tears that had rolled down her cheeks.

"Come, I have something else I wanted to give you" The King smiled at her as he softly started to lead her away from the magnificent terraces and into the elegant long corridors of the Palace. "It was my intention to way until the celebration was over, but I do not think I will be returning to the Halls either. It will also be good for Tadion to be in charge for a change, since Arahaelon is not there to take over the hosting duties."

She could not contain a light laugh as she followed the King up an ample staircase. The entire Palace seemed to be empty, every elf in Mirkwood appeared to have attended the solstice celebration. The frail columns of the exquisite pointed arches seemed taller than ever, the corridors longer, the halls larger, and the balconies wider, and yet, even though they remained as strange and magnificent to her eyes, the Palace somehow felt less cold and imposing. Suddenly, these gorgeous columns that seemed to branch into thin, delicate arches felt welcoming to her, their beauty now no longer something to merely be admired. This was her father's Palace, it was her father's home; her home.

"Has Tadion ever hosted before?" She asked as they stepped into the quiet Private Quarters of the Palace. The turned his head to smile at her before answering, one of his hands placed lightly on her back as he guided the way.

"A couple of times, yes. He is very capable of doing so, although he always chooses to stand behind Arahaelon. He will do anything that Arahaelon asks of him."

"Is Arahaelon all right? I saw him leaving the Halls, and Legolas told me what happened this morning. " She asked as her father opened the fine wooden door that led to his own private chambers, letting her walk inside first before following.

The chambers inside were as elegant and rich as they had been to her when she had come with Legolas earlier that day. It was as if her eyes would never be able to get used to this finery. She remembered her own plain small childhood bedroom, which had never seemed small and plain to her, and suddenly though that it must have seemed a pitiful attempt of a bedroom to the King's eyes.

A welcoming fire had already been started at the fireplace, even though the chambers had been empty, its flames warmly brightening the room with their vivid dance. She also noticed that the number of unwrapped gifts at the small wooden table in one corner of the room had nearly doubled since she had last been in here with Legolas.

"He was not feeling well. I could see that his wound was bothering him since before we stepped into the Halls. He is all right, though, do not worry. The wound is deep, but harmless. It is the venom what causes the damage. The venom is lethal, and he was lucky it barely penetrated into the injury. He will be fine."

The King explained as he led her to the comfortable, elegant seats by the fireplace, the sound of their footsteps silenced by the exquisite carpet. He smiled reassuringly at her, and she once again could not contain her own smile as stared into her father's ice blue eyes. She sat on one of the seats, her eyes following the King's elegant figure as he roamed about the room before returning to where she sat, a beautifully crafted wooden box held carefully in his hands.

"I think you should have these." His voice was soft as he spoke, ice blue eyes mirroring the frail smile on his face as handed her the beautiful box. "Some of these things already belonged to you."

She did not say anything, trying to search for an explanation in his infinite eyes before taking the box carefully in her hands, slightly taken aback by its unexpected weight. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the King gracefully moving to the comfortable seat closest to the fire but she could not keep her eyes from the intricate carvings on the lid of the box. One of her fingers delicately traced the fine shapes of leaves and branches carved in the wood, not really taking herself to open it. Part of her wanted to know what was inside, and part o her was scared of what she might find, not really wanting to succumb once again to her finally ceased sobbing.

Slowly, she lifted the lid of the box, curiosity taking the best of her as usual. Inside was a pile of papers, of all different sizes and sorts, some folded neatly into a small square, others ripped at the edges or wrinkled carelessly. Carefully, she took on of the top pieces of parchment in her hands, almost fearing that it would rip at her touch. A messy slanted handwriting covered the paper, tiny black dots indicating where the inexperienced writer had accidentally let drops of black ink fall onto it. It was a letter. Her heart nearly stopped as she immediately recognized the plain handwriting, her eyes quickly dropping to the very familiar signature at the bottom.

_Naeraviel _

Her eyes flew up to meet the King's, only to find him softly staring at her, ice blue eyes as welcoming and infinite as before. She quickly took another one of the many pieces of parchment, only to find the same slanted handwriting adorning its yellowish surface, the familiar signature once again present in the bottom. Nearly every paper in the box contained the same handwriting and signature, and they were all addressed to the King. Unable to contain herself, she took the one she had been holding in her hands and read it silently.

_Your Majesty,_

_Not much has happened since the last letter I wrote. Elerrina is now learning how to write, and she is learning very fast. So far she can write her own name, and a couple of other words. I must say that I have now lost every single piece of parchment that I had in the house. Today I returned to the house and found her sprawled on the floor over a carpet of papers. She had ink even on her ears! _

_Here are some of the pieces that I managed to collect before she threw them away. I thought you would like to have them. _

_-Naeraviel _

Her eyes darted back down to the box on her lap and there, among the many letters, were also pieces of parchment containing drawings on them. There were various of them, in different sizes and qualities, some of them messy and nearly incomprehensible, others clearer, the lines thought of smoothly and precisely.

She could no help but laugh lightly as she took out one of them, immediately recognizing it as she remembered herself drawing those messy lines. She could make out that the drawing tried to illustrate something that appeared to be a woman or a girl, she could not tell, the clumsy traces of the inexperienced little hand awkwardly crisscrossing one another. The word 'Elerrina' was written in clumsy letters near the bottom of the page, the mismatched scale of the shaky letters clearly indicating that these traces had not yet been mastered by the hand that had written them.

"You do not have to go through all of them now. You can look at them whenever you want to." Her eyes turned up to meet the King's deep ice blue ones as he spoke, a small smile on his face.

"How often did she write to you?" Her voice was lower than she had expected as she spoke, her eyes not able to leave her father's infinite irises.

"That depended. Whenever she had an opportunity to do so I guess." He smiled softly at her and she returned the gesture before letting her eyes fall back down on the pile of letters. She wished she had known her mother had been sending these letters when she was an elfling. She would have made drawings specifically for him.

"I have not heard from Naeraviel in a while." Her eyes flew once again to the King's gentle ice blue ones. "Almarëa, may I ask you how did you end up in Imladris? Elrond notified me that you had arrived there with his sons. What happened?"

She let her eyes fall for a moment, not sure of how to answer that question in a pretty way. Carefully she placed the lid of the box back into place, letting her hands brush against the intricate carvings before answering.

"Orcs." She said finally, lifting her gaze to fall once again on her father's gentle eyes. "They attacked the village, destroyed it. Nothing remains. No one survived."

She saw the King's eyes darken at her words, brow softly furrowing as a new concern shone in his powerful ice blue irises.

"I was not there when it happened." She continued. "I was out for a walk, deeper into the forest than what I usually did, and then I ran into Elladan…or he ran into me…quite literally. There were orcs in the area, and he pulled me out of the way, took me deeper into the forest to escape from them. The next day we found the ashen remains of what used to be the small village."

The King did not say anything, but barely nodded his head in response, and she could see in his eyes a new worry starting to appear, lost in some thoughts of his own. His eyes looked apologetic, as if trying to say he was sorry, but the words were never spoken, the look in his eyes speaking louder and clearer than any words could ever do.

A soft knock on the door made both pairs of eyes turn in its direction, just in time to see Tadion gracefully walking into the room. The Prince's clear blue eyes, identical to those of his father's, widen slightly as they fell on her, the soft smile suddenly vanishing from his face. She immediately became self-conscious of her tear stroked face and red eyes, knowing that she must have looked horrible at that moment.

"Almarëa!" He breathed out as he rushed to her side, suddenly seeming to forget whatever reason it was that he had come in the first place. "Are you all right?"

All right? She was more than all right. Her body seemed not to be able to contain her joy, even though she knew the dried tears in her face conveyed a different message. She felt her smile growing wider on her face, Tadion's eyes flickering between confusion and concern. He looked as clueless as he had the first time that she had met him.

"Yes." She said, the smile perpetually present in her lips as she nodded her head. "Yes I am all right."

Her brother studied her for a second, as if trying to consider whether or not to believe her words or her face. She saw him throw a glance at his father, as if trying to find come confirmation of her words. After a moment he nodded his head slightly, offering her a smile as he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. She could not tell if he had believed her words, but it seemed that he would accept them as an answer.

"Ada, I came to tell you that the celebration has finished now. Legolas and Lossie will come upstairs soon." Tadion did not move from his spot behind her as he spoke, his hand still on her shoulder. Then he leaned to one side of her seat so that he was able to look into her face.

"Your gift's have been brought to your rooms, dear sister." He smiled at her as he spoke and she felt the hand on her shoulder give it a comforting squeeze. She could not help but smile at him, now more than ever regretting that she had not grown up by his side, that there were still many things she did not know about him or the rest of her siblings.

"Thank you, my son." The King smiled as he spoke and Tadion nodded his head. At that precise moment she could point out the evident similarities between father and son; the same clear blue eyes and fair features, Tadion's long golden hair only a shade darker than the King's. Still there was no mistaking that out of all of her siblings it was Legolas the one that resembled his father the most.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Ada?"

"No, Tadion, thank you. You may retire to bed if you wish, you must be tired." The King's voice was gentle, not the voice of the King of Mirkwood but the same tender voice that he had also used when addressing her earlier. "If you see Sidhel please tell her not to wake Arahaelon for the meeting tomorrow. Let him sleep through the morning."

Tadion nodded his head again, not saying anything else as he leaned forward around her seat, his head at the same level as hers now.

"Shall we go?" He smiled softly as he extended one hand for her to take, gently pulling her up to her feet.

Her eyes found her father's gentle ice blue ones, her smile once again appearing on her face as she gazed into their clear vastness. Those eyes had always been so strangely familiar, but now, it felt as if she had stared at them her entire life. They were so reachable, so welcoming and reassuring, even with the strong power and cold authority that they seemed to carry daily.

"Thank you." She said softly and he nodded his head as a reply, smiling warmly at her.

Without any more words, she felt Tadion's arm wrap around her shoulders, in the same brotherly way in which Legolas had done a couple of times before. It felt good, and she instantly liked it, smiling to herself as she allowed her older brother to lead her out of the King's chambers and to her own ones.

Even though Tadion had not commented on it, she could tell that he had a very clear idea of what had happened between the King and her in order to explain their absence from the celebration. He could see her dried tears on her face, and her red tired eyes that she knew would not return to normal for at least a couple of more hours. The King had not looked as if he had cried at all, but he had not looked as composed and neat as he had while in the Halls.

They did not talk. There was no need to. Her brother's arm around her shoulder said more than the words could. Besides, she knew that if she attempted to speak, she would not be able to stop herself from crying once again of joy at having her brother here with her. Instead, she remained silent, the only sound that followed them was the deaf echo of their footsteps as they reached the ample hallway with five exquisitely carved doors, the very last one being the one leading to her own bedchambers.

Tadion stopped two doors from hers, unwrapping his arm from her shoulders as he offered her a kind smile. She smiled in return, softly throwing both of her arms around his middle in a warm embrace, her face pressing against the fine fabric of his deep blue robes. He returned the gesture, one hand rubbing her back comfortingly before letting go.

"Thank you, Tadion." She whispered as she pulled away, watching him smile wider at her with a silent nod of his head, his clear blue eyes sparking with their usual peaceful carefreeness, as if nothing could ever trouble him.

She made a mental note to talk to him in the morning, once she had complete composure again. As she turned around and headed towards her own door she could hear Tadion softly knocking on another one of the five doors.

"Ar?" She heard him whisper lowly, his voice incredibly gentle as he softly pushed the door open. She smiled at the shortened name. She had heard Tadion calling Arahalon that way only once before.

She could not hold back a glance in his direction as she reached her own door. He had the door opened only a crack, tentatively peeking inside the room, his clear blue eyes suddenly resembling those of a young elfling worried about disturbing his oldest brother. She did not hear a reply, but apparently one came, for Tadion smiled very softly before opening the door a little wider.

"How do you feel? Can I bring you anything?" She barely heard Tadion whisper as he disappeared into the darkness of the room, opening the door only wide enough for him to slip inside before softly closing it, as if not wanting any of the light that filled the hallway to get inside the dark room.

She smiled to herself as she walked into her own elegant bedchambers. Tadion's voice had sounded so gentle and caring that she felt she wanted to run back out and embrace him again. None of the usual teasing and mockery had been hearable in the soft, honest sound. She loved Tadion dearly, he truly felt like the older brother he was to her, and she knew she would do anything he said.

And yet, she could not help but to feel pained at the clear admiration and care that Tadion showed towards his oldest brother; her oldest brother. She remembered the Crown Prince's impenetrable green eyes, so powerful and serene, every emotion seeming to be concealed behind hard emeralds, so close to the surface and yet so unreachable, so mysterious. She remembered his handsome face, always perfectly relaxed and peaceful, looking so graceful and elegant without any effort.

Why could she not see through his eyes? Why could she not see him in the same way Tadion did? In the same way Legolas and Lossenel did? She had seen Legolas' eyes holding the same love and admiration that she had heard in Tadion's voice when he looked at the Crown Prince. He felt so distant to her, and yet so fascinating.

Forcing her thoughts in a different direction, she looked around her room, suddenly finding it more welcoming than ever before. A warm fire had also been started in her fireplace, the flames casting golden reflections on the pale ivory curtains that had been drawn closed over the balcony. As Tadion had told her, her unopened gifts had been brought to her chambers, and were now resting atop the small round table in one corner of the room.

She absently placed the carefully crafted box containing the letters from Naeraviel next to the other gifts. There were plenty of them, more than she had ever received her entire life. She recognized the ones from her father, placed slightly apart from the rest of the gifts. She carefully took one of the finely wrapped items in her hand, her fingers toying with it for a moment before placing it back down. She was not really in the mood for opening gifts by herself.

The door opened softly, but she did not turn her head, a smile growing on her face as she knew the identity of the newcomer without needing to look at him. She felt a hand coming to rest low on her waist from behind and she leaned back into the touch, her smile widening in the process. Elladan's other hand found hers, his fingers entwining with his as she felt his chin coming to rest lightly on her shoulder, his cheek slightly brushing hers. She could smell his sweet scent, feel his long dark hair brushing her bare shoulders and the rich fabric of his deep green formal robes enveloping her.

"I missed you in the Halls, my love." His melodic voice whispered in her ear and she felt him press a quick kiss on her cheek. She felt her heart flutter inside her chest at his words. Never before had he called her anything other than Rina.

She turned around in his arms, her eyes immediately free falling into endless pools of liquid silver. He stared at her face for a moment. She knew he could perfectly see her reddened ayes from crying and the stroke of dried tears on her face, even with her smile attempting to hide them. He cupped her cheeks gently with his hands as he let out light laugh before pressing his lips to hers.

He pulled her closer to him, letting out another light laugh, and she rested her head on his shoulder feeling his hands softly stroking her hair. She could not contain her smile, it felt as if it had settled on her face permanently for the night. She knew he could tell exactly what had happened between the King and her, as well as the fact that her tears had been of joy.

She felt more tears starting to blur her vision, her smile only becoming wider. She had not even thought it possible for her to shed any more tears, but she could not contain them. Her emotions were still too overwhelming inside of her, and now in Elladan's arms they threatened to overflow once again, her joy doubling in intensity, if that was even possible. It felt too good to be true.

He guided her towards the bed, sitting down next to her as she let her head once again rest on his shoulder, his arm instinctively wrapping around her. She felt her tears soaking the fine fabric of his robes, her emotions once again set free in his presence. She felt him pulling her at arms distance, his silver eyes searching to look into hers.

"Why do you cry?" He said softly, a smile on his handsome face as his thumb gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks. She simply looked into his eyes, her smile as wide as before, feeling new tears sliding down from her eyes.

He let out another musical chuckle, once again wiping her cheeks before pulling her to him again, this time wrapping both of his arms around her small frame, shifting her until she was sitting on his lap. She laced her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck as a choked sob escaped her smiling lips. One of his hands rubbed gentle circles on her back, and she could feel his spirit reaching hers, could feel his joy at feelings hers through their bond. She felt ridiculous for crying but she had lost control of herself many hours ago, and right now she could not care less.

"You know, you are supposed to cry when you are sad." He whispered playfully, letting out another chuckle before placing a kiss on her head, his arms holding tight to her.

She let out a chuckle, sounding more like a failed combination of a choking sound and a sob, but her smile only widened on her face. She placed a kiss on his neck in return.

"Dan." She managed to say through her smile and tears. "Be quiet."

He laughed again, but did not say anything else. Instead, she felt his hold tighten around her body as his hand continued to gently rub circles on her back, his spirit intertwining with hers through their bond. Long moments passed as he simple held her, her smile never fading, not even for a second. She knew he would not let go of her, and she did not want to move, feeling too welcomed and comfortable in his arms.

"I love you." She said, finally lifting her head from his shoulder, her arms still loosely wrapped around his neck. His silver eyes found hers, a true smile present in his handsome face.

He leaned in and kissed her fully on the lips, less gently than he had done moments ago. She kissed him back, feeling his hand on the side of her face, fingers tangling on her golden hair.

"I love you too." He said when they pulled apart, his silver eyes so honest and transparent, sparkling with the deepest feeling of love adoration she had ever seen on a pair of eyes, a sparkle that she knew belonged only to her. He wiped away her tears for what felt like the hundredth time, but only that this time no tears followed.

His eyes then scanned the room, falling on the pile of unopened presents before retuning to meet hers, a dark eyebrow raised questioningly.

"You have not opened a single one?" He mocked her, his perfect smile still present on his face.

"I have not yet been granted permission to open the one I really want to open."

He let out another musical chuckle at her words, pressing another quick kiss on her lips before answering.

"You may open it now."

She rose from his lap almost immediately, rounding the bed towards the small bedside table where the small wrapped item was placed. She took it in her hands, glancing again in his direction before walking towards where he sat.

"I still do not have anything for you." She said guiltily as she sat down on his lap, feeling his arms wrapping loosely around her waist. He placed a kiss to her cheek, and she let her attention fall back down on the gift in her hands.

She gently pulled at the thin silver ribbon, letting it fall over the bed before her fingers continued to carefully unwrap the gift. Her eyes glanced inside the small box, slightly confused at what she found in there. Inside the box was a tiny silver key, the most beautiful key she had ever seen. She carefully picked it up in her hands, her eyes turning to look at Elladan questioningly. He laughed at her expression, pressing yet another kiss on her cheek.

"What am I supposed to do with this key?" She asked him, only managing to make him laugh lightly.

"The polite thing to do would be to say thank you." He commented, a playful sparkle gleaming in his liquid silver eyes.

"Thank you." She complied with a chuckle, kissing him quickly on the lips. "Now, what does this key open?"

He chuckled again, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder from behind as his hands travelled to hers, fingers entwining with hers.

"A box in my chambers back in Imladris." He whispered in her ear, his lips brushing the skin there.

"And what is inside said box?" She asked, shivers running down he nuzzled his nose against her neck.

"Stuff." He shrugged in response, his smile still on his face, and she let out a laugh, knowing that he would not give her an answer.

"But if said box is in Imladris, how am I supposed to use the key?" She turned around in his arms to look into his eyes, once again drowning in a pool of liquid silver.

He simple stared at her, his silver eyes so deep and inescapable, so consuming, sparkling with more love than she had ever seen in them. His expression was calmed, his lips faintly curved up in a smile, all traces of mockery and playfully gone from his eyes, now so honest and open. She could not look away. She did not want to look away. She wanted to remain there forever, drowning in his endless liquid silver eyes.

"Marry me."

The words hit her suddenly, her heart stopping inside her chest as she felt her entire body paralyze. His liquid silver eyes remained locked on hers, so loving, so honest, there was not a single glint of playfulness in his voice. Then he moved, one hand travelling to the pocket of his robes, taking out a tiny box. He opened it in front of her, revealing a gorgeous ring.

She jumped to her feet in shock, one of her hands travelling to her mouth. She did not know what to do, what to say, her insides feeling as if they would burst from love. He too moved from the bed, lowering himself to one knee in front of her, his silver eyes never leaving hers.

"Almarëa, Princess of Mirkwood, daughter of Thranduil, and my Rina" his eyes sparkled as he smiled at the last part. "Would you marry me?"

She felt her throat tighten, her heart beating harder than ever, threatening to burst. One of her shaky hands placed a lock of her golden hair behind her ear as her eyes stared deeply into his. She wanted to drown in his eyes, to stare into them forever, so reachable, so loving, his spirit so entwined with hers. She shook her head yes, trying to find her words.

"Yes." She finally managed to say, and never before had that word been so easy to pronounce, never before had committing to something been so easy for her, never before had she wanted anything more than she wanted this, to be his forever. There was one thing she was completely and utterly sure of in her life: She loved him.

"Yes" She said again, her lips curving up into the widest smile they possibly could. "Yes, yes, yes."

His smile mirrored hers, silver eyes sparkling with love as he rose to his feet. He then took her left hand in his, the simple touch of his skin over hers telling her so many things as he ever so carefully slid the precious ring on her third finger, keeping her hand in his as he did so. His silver eyes found hers once again and she let herself free fall into their endless depths. Somehow they looked different now, the sparkle in them one she had never seen before. These eyes were hers now, hers to look into them for eternity.

Then, without any warning, he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate deep kiss. Her arms instantly locked around his neck, hands tangling in his long dark hair as she felt his on her waist, lifting her from her feet. There were so many words drowned in that kiss, so many feelings, so many thoughts.

They pulled apart after a long while and he spun her around the air before placing her back on her feet. As soon as her feet touched the ground she kissed him again, and he kissed her back, his hands resting low on her waist, the touch so loving and yet so passionate.

She could not contain her smile as they pulled apart, her eyes fixed on his silver ones, his smile mirroring hers. She had never felt this happy before; she had never seen him look this happy before. His arms remained locked around her waist, as if he was planning on never removing them from there, and if that were the case, she would not complain.

In that precise moment, as she looked into his endless silver eyes, she saw so many things. She saw her future with him, saw him staring into her eyes endless times to come, saw the rest of her immortal life in his arms without any touch or any kiss being inappropriate.

She took a look at her hand again, eyes falling on the gorgeous ring now perfectly placed on her third finger. A large diamond rested in the middle of it, crowned by a delicate band of tiny ones before dying out in a simple thin band of white gold. She had never seen a ring this beautiful before. Not even Vilya, in its glowing splendor could match this simple ring.

"I have been carrying that for a while now." He commented, his smile not faltering from his face. "It was my mother's. She left it to Elrohir and me when she sailed. She did not know what our choices would be and she wanted us to have the ring my father gave to her. It was Elrohir who suggested that I should give it to you, saying that he would not be marrying any time soon."

She simply stared into his eyes, her smile so wide she thought her cheeks would break. Elrohir. She remembered his words earlier in the celebration, when he had called her his sister. Of course he had known. She simply stared into his eyes, smiling too much to be able to speak so he continued.

"I told myself that I would not propose to you until you were sure of who you are. I see that you have finally spoken with you father, and you know where your home is."

"Does my father know?" she asked, suddenly remembering the King and her siblings. What would they say about this? Did they all already know?

"Yes, he does." His hand travelled to her cheek, silver eyes reflecting his smile as he chuckled lightly. "I asked him for your hand tonight. He already knew that I would ask him sooner or later, and he gave us his blessings. The engagement needs to last at least a year, and I will not make you leave Mirkwood until you want to do so. I have permission to stay here as long we want to, even after the wedding."

The wedding. The word suddenly felt more beautiful than it ever had before. She would marry him. She was his future bride. Nothing in Arda could have prepared her from what she was feeling at that moment, and she thought that it should have been impossible to feel this much love for anyone. Everything was perfect. Only the two of them in the room, no curious eyes to look.

She did not know what to say, everything felt too good to be true. Her thoughts wonder to King once again. He had given them his blessing before she had even looked at him as a father. He had accepted the fact that he would loose her before even having her.

Her eyes remained fixed on Elladan's, unable to look anywhere else. She would marry him. It was official now. She would be his in front of everyone, and no one would be watching their behavior; no one would be glaring at him if he placed a hand on her; no one would be saying anything if he kissed her.

The night seemed to stretch for eternity, Elladan staying long hours with her on her chambers, neither of them willing to separate. They stole many kisses, his arms never letting go of her, until finally she dozed off to sleep in his arms, the long night downing on her. She distantly felt him lay her down on the bed, placing the covers around her and removing all the trinkets from her hair before she heard him slip from the room, her mind already drifting into her dreams, playing over and over again her future with Elladan, when he would no need to leave her side and she could sleep in his protective embrace.

She had never slept this comfortably before, this relaxed and happy. She was in her home, her siblings only some doors down in the hallway. Her father was only some distance away, probably also sleeping in his overly large chambers. And she had Elladan, feeling his spirit close to hers even in her sleep, the gorgeous engagement ring safely placed on her third finger. Outside the trees sang, but she could no longer hear them. The entire realm slept after the jovial night, all of them oblivious to the royal engagement that they had yet to celebrate.

She woke up with a start. She could not breath. She was choking. Her heart beating loudly in her chest, the most overwhelming fear she had ever felt consuming her body, panicking. She could not see anything. The sheets had been pulled over her head as she trashed around, feeling a heavy weight over her, preventing her from moving. One hand was pressed to her neck, pressing a little too hard, making it impossible to breath, choking her as she desperately tried to get some air to her distressed lungs.

She kept kicking and punching at the air, desperately trying to free herself from the choking grasp, but managing nothing. The stranger kept strangling her neck, his other hand pressing the sheets to her face, making her vision turn black. She tried to scream for help, but there was no air inside her lungs. Air. That was all she needed. Air. And she could not get any. She felt the stranger's fingers tightly curled around her neck, the pressure feeling as if it would snap her neck. She kept kicking, trying to get this stranger off of her, but only managed to knock down a crystal glass that rested on her bedside table.

Her limbs started to become weak, not responding to her as she tried to breath. The pressure at her neck was too much, the sheets over her face slow asphyxiating her. Her lungs desperately demanded for air…

Here is chapter 12! My apologies for the long wait. I have had my final examns this week, thus it has been impossible for me to update. I hope this chapter makes up for the wait! Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you a million times to my reviewers: Mary Elrondile, Hirilnin, FioreDiRosa, smulderalert, Martine9295, CeffylGwyn, Mj, Danda225, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, SarahWeasley, Jibril, The Grimreaper PT, ShieYun, AmazingWriter123, Coco99, gossipghurl, BigFanOfYou, Paperlanterns86, luckyponygirl, wonderpanda10, booklover1598, and Wtiger 5.

Thank you very much for your patience, and my apologies for not having yet answered all of your reviews, I feel very bad for that. I have been incredibly busy this past week, but you will hear from me very soon.

Martine9295 this chapter is especially for you!

Love,

Elena


	13. Sealed Stillness

Air. That was all she needed, all that her lungs kept demanding her for. The pressure on her neck was too much for her to take. She tried to scream, but she had no air to do so. Fear started to consume her, and for the first time it her: she would die. If she did not get air soon, she would surely die. She kicked and punched, the sheets over her head blackening her vision.

Her hand found something that felt like hair and she yanked at it, only to find the attacker's other hand grabbing her wrist forcefully, twisting her hand in a way she was sure it was not supposed to twist. She would have screamed at the flare of pain, but her air supply was completely cut-off. Instead she heard the sickening sound of a bone cracking, and she kicked again at the burning pain that flared from her wrist, managing to knock something from the bedside table. A crystal glass hit the floor, smashing into tiny pieces in the silence of the room.

Then many things happened at once, so fast her mind did not even have time to process them. Suddenly and without any warning she felt the crushing hand release her neck, the weight disappearing from over her as the attacker rushed away suddenly. The door was thrown open, but she barely heard it. She trashed around, attempting to take the sheets from over her head, and suddenly felt another pair of hands doing the same, quickly removing them.

"Almarëa!" She heard a voice call as the sheets were thrown off her head, a figure leaning close to her.

She gasped for air, coughing desperately in the process. She could still feel the hands around her neck, preventing the gulps of air from completely reaching her lungs. A cold palm softly pressed to her cheek, and she instinctively pushed the newcomer away from her as hard as she could, her shaken body reacting out reflexes. She heard the figure issue out a pained hiss as her hands came in contact with him, but seconds latter she found the same hand pressing once again to her cheek, forcing her to look up.

"Almarëa! Breathe!" Her eyes instantly fell on a piercing pair of emerald green eyes, staring intently at her, and for the first time she saw an emotion written in those impenetrable irises: fear.

She gasped for air again, fighting away the coughing, but to no avail. She was shaking visibly, one trembling hand reaching to her neck, as if trying to take away the hand she could still feel crushing her neck, even though she knew it was no longer there.

She heard more footsteps running into the room, desperate voices asking things in elvish: Legolas and Tadion. She did not turn to look, unable to take her eyes from Arahaelon's piercing ones, still desperately trying to breathe.

The Crown Prince quickly looked to his brothers, his voice saying something in elvish, the sound quick, commanding, as one of his hands pointed in the direction of her balcony. She saw Tadion's eyes widen, immediately rushing in that direction as Arahaelon's eyes turned to look at her.

"Breathe. Breathe." The Crown Prince urged her, both of his hands carefully pressed to the sides of her face. She grabbed at his forearms tightly, taking in gasped breaths as her wide eyes stared into his, her body shaking uncontrollably.

The Crown Prince looked as if he had just jumped out of bed. His long light blond hair fell loose down his back. He wore an unbuttoned light grey sleeping tunic and she could see white bandages covering his torso underneath it.

She heard movement in the hallway, footsteps running in the direction of the room as two guards ran inside, guided by Tadion. Without warning, Arahaelon quickly scooped her up in his arms, wincing slightly as he did so. Her frightened eyes caught Legolas' as the Crown Prince quickly carried her out of the room, infinite blue eyes looking shocked, worried, as he simply stood there, not knowing what had happened.

She kept trying to get air to her lungs, still feeling chocked as the Crown Prince rushed through the hallway. She noticed that many guards had suddenly appeared, rushing past them in the direction of her chambers, the air feeling tensed as ever pair of eyes seemed shocked, disbelieved.

She saw Lossenel rushing out through a door to their right, ice green-blue eyes wide, fear and worry clearly written in her stunning face as she rushed in their direction, her silk nightgown flowing behind her. The Princess' eyes looked around at the wave of guards around her and at the commotion in her bedchambers, looking shaken as she grabbed her oldest brother's arm.

"Arahaelon! What...?!" She breathed out, her shock transparent in her voice as she did not even finish her question.

"Go wake Ada." The Crown Prince rushed out, and Lossenel quickly nodded her head before nearly running down the hallway.

She did not see anything else for Arahaelon carried her inside a door to their left, the one she had learned led to his own bedchambers. The large room was dark inside, the heavy curtains pulled closed, the only light coming in brightly through the opened door. The Crown Prince gently placed her on the large unmade bed, kneeling in front of her sitting form to be at her eye-level.

She continued to gasp for air, coughing more in the process, the skin at her throat now feeling as it was burning, and she was sure she had finger marks on it. Her good hand held to his forearm with a death grip, her broken wrist starting to burn with pain again, reminded her of the sickening sound of the bone snapping. The Crown Prince's eyes were as intense and impenetrable as ever, steadily holding her gaze as he knelt in front of her, but somehow, even in their unreadable hardness, those emerald irises made her feel secure at the moment.

"You are safe" She heard Arahaelon say as one of his hands placed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear, green eyes piercing hers, the same shade and color of hers. "Try to breathe. You are safe."

She felt his hand lifting her chin gently as she gasped for air, emerald eyes carefully studying the skin at her neck. Then his eyes turned to look at her, so intense and impenetrable, so incredibly gentle and yet holding her gaze with such a force that she could not look away.

"Where are you hurt?"

She did not answered for her head snapped towards the door as she saw two new figures suddenly appear at it. She noticed the Crown Prince also turning his head to see what had caught her attention but she was no longer focused on him. Her eyes were fixed on Elladan's worried silver eyes, barely noticing Elrohir standing next to him. His silver eyes were hard, iced with ire that merged with the deepest glint fear and worry.

Elladan did not stop his march, immediately rushing to her side faster than she thought was possible. She did not even notice Arahaelon rising to his feet and moving aside, wincing slightly as he moved. She felt Elladan's arms quickly wrap around her tightly, pressing her close to him and she slammed her body against his, her fingers clutching to his tunic as if her life depended on it. She kept her right hand pressed to her chest, her wrist feeling as if it was on fire.

"What happened?"

Only when he spoke did she notice that Elrohir was kneeling in front of her, his silver eyes throwing a questioning look at the Crown Prince before focusing back on her, seeming to be assessing her for injuries. Elladan had not moved, his arms holding to her tightly, and she could feel his despair to be close to her and his slight trembling out of pure rage.

"I did not see exactly. There was an elf in her chambers. I did not see his face. He had blond hair, it is all I saw." She heard Arahaelon's reply as Elrohir's expert gentle fingers travelled to the sides of her neck examining what she knew where red finger marks on her skin. She saw Elrohir exchanging a look with his twin, but she did not pay attention to it.

She did not complain at the touch, barely even noticing it as she continued to struggle to regain her breathing. She coughed again, almost feeling the fierce hand wrapping around her neck again and she held tighter to Elladan, burying her face in his shoulder as she felt him shift his hold on her, pulling her closer. She felt waves of calm start to wash over her, doing very little to her shaken body and she tried to concentrate on them, fixing her attention in trying to regain her breathing.

"Stay with her?" She heard Arahaelon asking the twins as he started to head towards the door at a rushed pace. She saw his impenetrable green eyes look at her hesitantly as if deciding whether or not to leave, but she could not read the expression behind his emerald irises. "I will go get a healer."

Elladan did not move, and out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir nodding his head as the Crown Prince stepped once again into the hectic hallway. She could see many guards roaming outside the door, rushing to and from her chambers, seeming to be searching every single last corner of them.

She heard more steps rushing out in the hallways, and absently noticed that the King had made and appearance. He was still wearing a light silk sleeping tunic, his long light blond hair falling loose down his back, looking as if he had just jumped out of bed. There were three guards circling around him, seeming to be trying to give their King all the information they could, but the King's ice blue eyes were not paying attention to any of them.

To say that the Elvenking was furious was an understatement. Ice blue eyes pierced fiercely at the guards around him, easily burning through them. He suddenly looked incredibly tall and powerful, even in his nightclothes. He walked as gracefully as ever, his eyes cold and sharp. He lifted a single hand, the simple effortless movement conveying an authority no elf would ever deny, immediately settling silence in the long hallway before he spoke.

She could hear his cold voice hissing orders and demanding questions in elvish as he made his way through the hallway. The guards seemed of be answering immediately, some of them unable to conceal the intimidation from showing in their voices, hesitating slightly as they spoke. She did not blame them, if it had been her the one addressed with that cold hissed voice she would have long ago gone to sit on a corner to cry.

"Rina, where are you hurt?" Her attention turned back to the younger twin at the sound of his kind voice. She turned her head from Elladan's shoulders only to find Elrohir's gentle silver eyes staring softly at her, suddenly realizing that he was done examining her neck.

She felt another wave of calm washing over her, and she reached to it, allowing Elladan's close presence to soothe her as she felt his arms tightly wrapped around her, holding her desperately. He had not said a word, but she could feel that his worry and ire were too strong to let him speak. His silver eyes remained fixed on hers, their endless depths alternating between pain and anger.

"Her hand." Elladan's voice was hardly recognizable, the usually musical sound trembling slightly with ire and yet there was so much pain concealed in the simple words. She knew he could feel she was in pain through their bond, and could tell exactly where she was hurting.

Elrohir nodded his head as a reply, his sad silver eyes staring at his twin before gently taking hold of her arm, and she stretched the limb for him to take a look. The younger twin's touch was extremely gentle, his fingers moving over the wounded area with such care that she barely felt it, not causing her the slightest of pains.

"And where in Arda were you?!" She heard the King hiss sharply at a couple of guards who had been saying something to him. "How did an elf get into my daughter's room and tries to kill her without any of you knowing! This has never happened before! Never!"

She turned her eyes to the door, paying attention to the commotion outside as Elrohir carefully examined her hand. Another guard rushed towards the King, shaking his head at her father's questioning look. She noticed that Arahaelon had returned and was now standing next to his father, Tadion next to him.

She saw the King throw a glance in the direction of the Crown Prince's bedchamber, his ice blue eyes catching hers for a moment, the harsh look replaced by utter worry and sadness for a split second before he turned to look at the guards once again. Suddenly she had the feeling that this was not the first glance he directed in her direction since his arrival. Yet, part of her was glad that he did not walk into the room, letting Elladan be the one comforting her.

"Search everywhere" The King hissed again and the guard nodded, understanding his order. "I want every corner of the palace and gardens searched. Send an order immediately: no one moves. No one enters and no one leaves the palace. And where in Arda is Melnor!"

"It is broken. I will have to wait for the healer." She heard Elrohir sighing as he carefully let go of her hand, throwing her a sympathetic look. She nodded her head in response, part of her had already believed that was the case. She slowly pulled her arm back, the pain pounding sharply around her wrist.

"Careful." Elladan whispered gently to her as his hands tenderly reached for her arm, helping her place the broken limb once again safely against her chest, his touch incredibly gentle. Once she had her arm cradled in front of her once again she returned her head to its former spot over his shoulder and she felt his arms reassuming their tight hold on her.

She was still shaking badly, shock still taking control of her entire body. She had somehow managed to slow her breathing, but was still partially struggling, letting out fists of coughs every once in a while when she felt the sensation of the crushing hand return to her neck. Her breaths were slightly more even now, but sounded rasped, as if her throat was only allowing for short amounts of air to reach her burning lungs at a time. She pressed herself closer to Elladan, feeling secure in his arms, needing to be as close to him as possible.

"Shhh." She heard Elladan whispering gently in her ear, his voice low and soothing as one of his hands softly started to stroke her tangled hair. "breathe slowly, my love."

She let her eyes fall closed, concentrating on his words as she tried for her shaking body to somehow calm down a little. She turned her head on his shoulder, hiding her face against his neck, her favorite hiding place, as she tried to force her body to take slow raspy breaths.

"Why in the name of the Valar do you bring me a robe? Bring me the elf who attacked my daughter." She heard the King hiss, the serenity in his voice making the sound colder, almost making her shiver.

She turned her head to find him facing a servant who was offering his King a deep blue robe to throw over his nightclothes. Had she not been so shaken, she would have laughed at the situation. She guessed it was not everyday that the servants and guards of the Palace encountered their King roaming around in his sleeping tunic, no matter how fine and elegant said tunic already was.

"Forgive me." She heard the King adding with a deep breath, his tone less cold, but not friendly. He accepted the robe, the servant quickly helping him with the garment, bowing respectfully and disappearing before he could do anything else to exhaust the King's already exhausted patience.

The Elvenking then walked farther away through the hallway, heading towards her bedchambers, until she could no longer see his figure, although she could still hear his voice talking in elvish with one of the guards.

"Do you want me to close the door?" She was suddenly reminded of Elrohir's presence, and she shook her head as an answer. Closing the door would only make the space feel confined, and she already felt as if she could not get enough air to her lungs.

Instead, she turned her head towards the large balcony, obscured by the heavy navy blue curtains, which had been sealed shut against the pale light of the moon. She opened her mouth, taking in a raspy breath in a pathetic attempt of trying to speak.

"Ro, will you open the balcony?" Elladan asked for her in a soft voice, his silver eyes quietly asking his twin.

Elrohir nodded instantly, quickly moving towards the large balcony. The relief was almost instantaneous as she felt the cool night breeze touch her face, the air suddenly seeming less heavy and easier to breath in. She took a deep breath, feeling more air reach her lungs than in any of her previous attempts. Her body relaxed slightly, slumping more heavily into Elladan's arms, although she was still shaking badly.

Elladan seemed to notice the change for he picked her up and walked towards the overly large balcony, sitting down on a long chaise. He placed her between his legs, allowing her to lean back against his chest, resting her head back on his shoulder.

She kept her eyes closed, taking slow deep breath as she finally felt some air fill her lungs. Here, surrounded by the fresh air of the night she was finally able to relax, slumping deeper against Elladan in both exhaustion and relief. She could feel his face next to hers, their cheeks slightly brushing, his gentle hands rubbing up and down her arms comfortingly.

She was barely aware of Elrohir slowly making his way towards the balcony, Legolas having appeared next to him, sitting down on the other chaise remaining unoccupied. Suddenly, under the soothing cool breeze, all of her shock began to fade, her previous panic and alteration washed away by the realization of what had really happened only moments ago. Feelings started to run through her body once again as her mind finally left the state of shock. She felt frightened, relieved, pained, secure. And it was then that she finally reacted.

She turned to lie on her side, and Elladan shifted to accommodate her, wrapping both of his arms around her as she leaned heavily on him, her back fitting perfectly against his chest. Then came the tears, sliding one by one down her cheeks as she sobbed silently, as if her body was trying to wash away all the pain and fear it had felt for those short seconds in which she was choking.

No one drew attention to her crying, and she was glad for it. She felt Elladan relax slightly the moment she started to cry, as if relieved that the shock and fear had already passed. She felt his hand travel to her left one, her good one, his fingers intertwining with hers, absently toying with the gorgeous ring newly placed on her third finger. He placed a kiss on her shoulder before lying his head next to hers, his warm breath caressing her temple as she silently cried.

The healer, Melnor she remembered, appeared moments after. She sat up straight again, not even bothering to wipe her tears as she allowed the healer to properly brace her broken limb, eager for some of the burning pain to be taken away. She caught sight of Tadion and Arahaelon crossing the elegant bedchamber towards the balcony, Legolas ceding the chaise to his oldest brother who accepted it wordlessly, slowly lowering himself into a sitting position.

She let her curious eyes travel to the Crown Prince, only to find herself staring into those penetrating yet unreadable green eyes that seemed to look beyond hers. They were warm, yet impenetrable, complete serene and silent, and at the same time so incredibly powerful, perfectly matching the relaxed expression of his face. Everything about the way he carefully sat back against the cushions betrayed pain and weariness, and yet neither of those things touched his face or eyes, his expression not looking composed but completely natural, as if the strength of his emerald irises was completely independent from his physical strength.

His mysterious green eyes held hers for a moment before they turned to Legolas and he saw him smiling up at hi youngest brother before softly patting the space next to him on the wide chaise. Legolas smiled, his face looking as handsome as always, even with the worry that had stained his infinity blue eyes since he had run into her chambers some moments ago. Then she saw him sit down next to the Crown Prince, also comfortably leaning back on the cushions, although not as carefully as his brother.

"Your Highness." Her attention was drawn back to the dark haired healer in front of her, and only then did she realize that he was done with her hand and was now offering her a cup full of some steaming liquid. She shook her head no, carefully cradling her arm to her chest once again.

"It will help with the pain." The healer insisted, but she shook her head again. She knew the draught would make the pain in her hand disappear, but it would also put her to sleep, and the sole idea of sleeping frightened her. She did not want to sleep.

"It is alright, Melnor." Tadion cut in, and she was incredibly grateful as the healer nodded his head in response and rose to leave, not insisting any longer on her to take the draught.

She leaned back against Elladan, feeling his arms once again wrap around her as she rested her head on his shoulder, letting the tears continue to fall silently. No one said anything; not even Tadion seemed willing to protest, although she could see him throwing Elladan warning glances every now and then.

"This is unbelievable" She heard Legolas mutter, but she did not turn to look. Instead, she felt Elladan's hand gently resting over her broken wrist and she could feel some of the burning pain lessening slightly, although she did not know how he was doing it.

"Who would do such a thing?" Tadion's voice was as low as his brother's "Why would someone try to kill Almarëa?"

"I do not believe that was the elf's intention." This time the calmed voice belonged to the Crown Prince.

"And how is choking her not trying to kill her?" Tadion inquired again, and she could hear him unceremoniously sitting down on the floor. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir doing the same, his attention completely focused on the conversation taking place.

"Then why did he not kill her?" Arahaelon commented. "If that elf knew how to sneak into her chambers at night entirely unseen, why did not kill her quickly? Choking her would be the slowest way of doing so."

She was not really enjoying the conversation, but she could not help but ask herself the same questions inside her head. She could almost still feel the hand crushing her neck, and yet, by the strength and easiness with which the elf had broken her wrist in a mere second, it seemed almost incredible that he had not simply snapped her neck. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine, and pressed herself ever further against Elladan's chest.

"Perhaps the elf was not counting on being seen." It was Elrohir's voice the one to speak, low and slow.

"Or perhaps he wanted to be seen." Legolas' soft words echoed in the cool night air, followed by silence.

Then, an entirely different sound echoed through the forest outside, leaves suddenly swaying widely, branches crunching and cracking, as if they were stretching and growing. She lifted her head slightly to see, and found that her siblings were also doing the same. She found that far in the distance, it looked as if trees were actually moving, as if something was rapidly flying through them in a long line that seemed to wrap around the entire forest until she could no longer see it. She did not know what it was, but she could feel an immense power floating in the air, accompanied by a familiar presence: The King.

"It is the first time I actually see that." Legolas' voice was low and she did not know if he was talking to himself.

"See what?" She was surprised at the sound of her own voice, it was so low she doubted anyone had heard her, sounded raspy and shaky. Legolas and Tadion turned their equally blue eyes in her direction, the Crown Prince's green ones remaining fixed on the forest below.

"Ada has sealed the gates. They will not open unless he releases them." Tadion explained softly, and yet there was a tone of seriousness in his voice she could not really comprehend.

By the serious looks in her siblings' eyes, she could see that this was a rare occurrence, and she could not help but wonder that perhaps this was more than just an attempt to prevent her attacker from leaving the realm.

"Have you…"She started her question, not finishing it as she looked into Tadion's clear blue eyes, silently searching in them if this was also the first time he saw this happening.

Tadion's eyes did not let anything show in their clear blue irises. He turned his eyes to glance nervously at Arahaelon instead. The Crown Prince's eyes did not meet his brother's. Green irises remained focused on the forest below, as impenetrable and serene as ever, as if he was no longer paying attention to what was happening around him.

"Only once."

The Crown Prince's voice was low, as unreadable as his powerful green eyes, not even turning to look as he spoke. And yet, something in his unreadable voice gave her the feeling that the time he had seen this happen before was not a pleasant memory.

She did not say anything else, choosing to focus her eyes once again on the now still forest, leaning her head back down on Elladan's shoulder. There were so many questions dancing inside her tired mind, and at the same time she did not want to focus on any of them, her body still lightly shivering from what remained of the shock of the night. All she could think of was the unimaginable power that she could still feel floating in the air, it was like nothing she had ever felt before…

Here is chapter 13! I hope you like it! And I hope this wait was not too long this time! Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, your comments mean more to me than you can ever imagine: The Grimreaper PT, Martine 9295, gossipghurl, kcelflover, BigFanOfYou, Coco99, AnnaComnena, Jibril-Kadamon, Mary Elrondile, CalathielKat, CeffylGwyn, wonderpanda10, AmazingWriter123, CannonRebel, booklover1598, Paperlanterns86, Danda225, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, and Wtiger 5.

Martine9295, this chapter is also especially for you!

Love,

Elena


	14. Trembling Hands

The gentle breeze of the night toyed hollowly with her golden strands of hair, the forest now completely still and silent. She could still feel the heavy power floating in the air, like a ghostly fog that seemed to stretch into the night. It would be dawn soon. Her eyes remained closed, her cheek pressed against the fine silk of Elladan's tunic, feeling the warmth of his skin underneath it. She felt numb, her body gone limp in his arms as she took long deep breaths, drowning in the comforting melody of his beating heart.

She was lying next to him on the long chaise, both of his arms wrapped around her small frame, making her feel safe even when she felt so numb and detached from reality. No more tears ran down her cheeks, her body had seemed to shut down after every single drop of emotion it held was washed away in the crystals drops that slid down her chin. It was as if her own body had decided it did not want to feel any more pain, any more fear, any more anxiety, and the only way to achieve that was by not feeling anything at all.

Elladan's warm breath caressed the tip of her ear at the steady rise and fall of his chest, tracing a pattern for her own breathing. His hand rested over hers, fingers loosely lacing with hers while his thumb absently traced patterns on her skin. Her broken hand remained close to her chest, and she did not dare move it, trying hard to ignore the dull pounding pain at her wrist.

She opened her eyes to gaze around her, taking in the peaceful yet hollow aura that filled the balcony. Tadion and Elrohir remained sitting on the floor, conversing lowly in elvish. Her brother's eyes met hers for a moment, and he offered her a sad smile, clear blue eyes staring deeply into hers, concerned and at the same time apologetic. She tried to smile in return, if only to reassure him, but if she managed to smile she was sure the gesture must have looked pathetic.

Legolas remained lying casually next to Arahaelon on the other long chaise placed at the balcony, joining in the conversation every once in a while, none of them sounding very animated or chatty at the moment. The Crown Prince seemed to have fallen asleep. He was lying completely still next to his youngest brother, one arm loosely wrapped over his middle, eyes closed in his sleep. He looked exhausted.

She could still distantly hear the commotion in the hallway, the echo of rushing footsteps signaling guards moving to and from her bedchamber. The entire Palace was being searched at the moment. But how would they find the elf that had attacked her? No one knew how he looked like. No one had seen his face. There were thousands of blond elves in Mirkwood. It could have been anyone. And then, there was the point Arahaelon had touched on only moments ago: Why had the attacker not killed her? He had had the perfect chance to do so. And yet, here she was.

Her eyes travelled to the Crown Prince once more. A cold shudder traveled down her spine at the sole thought of what could have happened had Arahaelon not rushed into her room. He had been so quick, knowing exactly what to do, swiftly untangling her from the asphyxiating sheets and carrying her out of the room as the commotion began. She knew her words would never be able to express how thankful she was. And yet, part of her could not help but feel slightly guilty as she looked at his sleeping form. He looked so drained, so worn out and weary. She was still not sure how she felt about him. She had never really spoken to him and did not know him as a brother yet, but of one thing she was sure: he had her respect.

Her attention was driven away from her thoughts as she heard footsteps coming through the door. She turned her head in that direction, her siblings and Elrohir doing the same, only to find Lossenel's stunning figure walking gracefully in their direction. The Princess wore a calmed expression, although her usually sparkling ice green-blue eyes were now dulled. Her fine platinum hair fell loosely just below her waist, somehow looking so different now, freed of all the braids and jewels it usually carried.

"There is breakfast in the Family Wing." The Princess spoke as she stepped into the balcony, the blue velvet robe covering her nightgown dancing delicately around her as she moved. Her voice was quiet, almost comforting.

"Have they found anything?" Tadion inquired rapidly, lifting his clear blue eyes to look directly at his sister's face. The snowy Princess simply looked back at him, shaking her head slowly as a look of defeat took hold of Tadion's face.

"Come." Tadion's voice was merely a whisper as he slowly rose to his feet, looking at Elrohir and Legolas. "Let us go get some food. At least it gives us something to do." She could not tell if any of them was actually hungry, but they complied either way, silently rising to their feet.

"Do you want to go eat something?" She heard Elladan whisper in her ear, so low she knew only she had heard him. She shook her head slowly, not moving from her place in his arms and she felt him place a quick kiss on her temple before going silent again.

She focused her gaze on Tadion as he slowly walked past Lossenel and into the bedchamber, Elrohir following slowly behind him, both of them stopping at the open doorway to wait for Legolas to join them. Legolas had also risen from his comfortable spot, slowly rounding the chaise and leaning over the Crown Prince's sleeping form.

"Ar?" He said very softly as one of his hands carefully shook Arahaelon's shoulder, the latter blinking a few times before his sleepy eyes focused on Legolas' face. "There is food in the Family Wing. Do you want me to bring you some?"

The Crown Prince shook his head softly as a reply, lying his head back down as his eyes fell closed once more. Legolas, however, gently shook him awake before he could fall asleep again. Arahaelon's forest green eyes looked up at Legolas' face once more, looking slightly dazed and confused, not entirely awake yet.

"Come lie down on the bed." Legolas added quietly, carefully pulling Arahaelon to sit up before helping him up to his feet and slowly guiding him back inside the large bedchambers.

She followed them with her gaze, watching absently as Legolas gently helped his eldest brother down onto the large bed, the Crown Prince moving very slowly, as if the slightest of movements made the wound sting. Arahaelon seemed to be asleep the second his head touched the pillow and Legolas then made his way to where Tadion and Elrohir awaited by the doorway, the three of them silently exiting the room.

Her eyes then turned to look at Lossenel as she saw her kneel down in front of her. Her sister's eyes stared deeply into hers, green-blue irises looking sad, their pure color stained with worry. One of her delicate hands travelled to her arm comfortingly, her ice colored eyes flying to look at Elladan's before coming back to rest on hers.

"Come. Let us let him rest." Lossenel's voice was low and incredibly soothing, like a gentle lullaby, as she nodded her head in the Crown Prince's direction.

She nodded her head, slowly rising to her feet and feeling Elladan doing the same behind her. Lossenel gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she stood. She instinctively wrapped her own arm around Lossenel's waist, enjoying the soothing calm that the Princess' presence brought to her. The three of them walked out of the room in silence, Lessenel stopping to make sure that all the curtains were closed against the soon to rise sun before exiting the chambers.

"Arahaelon is sleeping inside." Lossenel informed two of the many guards populating the hallway, the two elves immediately nodding their heads in understanding and placing themselves at either side of the now closed door. By the look on their faces, she could tell that the guards did not intend for her situation to be repeated.

"Let us go see Ada. He is worried about you." The Princess' voice was soft as she slowly guided her down the hallway, Elladan to her other side.

She kept her eyes looking to the floor as they walked, intending not to meet anyone's eyes by accident. She could feel the guards eyes looking in her direction, scrutinizing her figure, and she could almost tell exactly what was going through their minds as they looked at her with those eyes filled with pity and worry.

They stopped as they reached the entrance of the Private Quarters of the Palace, and she felt Elladan taking her hand, briefly giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I will be at the Family Wing, if you need anything." He whispered to her as his deep liquid silver eyes stared into hers, filled with worry and sadness.

She simply nodded her head in response; her voice seemed to have disappeared hours ago. Elladan pulled her into a gentle embrace, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before letting go of her, his silver eyes now turning to Lossenel.

"Will you be all right, Lossie?" His voice was as tender as before, one of his hands lightly resting over the Princess' shoulder. Her sister nodded her head, not using words to reply.

"Thank you, Elladan." Lossenel said softly and Elladan nodded his head in response before turning around and heading in the direction of the Family Wing.

Just as they were about to reassume their march, the sound of rushed footsteps in their direction made them stop. Lossenel turning to look back. She imitated her sister, only to find Tadion rushing in their direction just as Elladan disappeared through the door that led to the Family Wing.

"You two are not going anywhere by yourselves." Tadion said as he reached their side, his usually carefree blue eyes now protective and sharp, his voice betraying his worry and fear.

"We are only going to Ada's study." Lossenel explained in a soft, slow voice, not showing any interest in starting an argument or protesting at Tadion's words. Her brother nodded his head, placing one had over the Princess' shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze before he spoke again, his eyes darting from Lossenel's to hers.

"I am walking you there."

She had felt completely secure and peaceful in the Princess' company, but somehow having Tadion walking along with them made her feel even more tranquil. Guards seemed to be everywhere in the Palace, and not only in the Private Quarters. She could see maids, servants and other elves rushing through the corridors, quickly exchanging words between them. Apparently the news of her attack had travelled very quickly through the Palace. It seemed that an attempt against the life of a member of the royal family was not something to be taken lightly, she could see it in the shocked expression of the elves they passed as she tried to ignore the stares directed in her direction.

What really caught her attention was the amount of elves perched over the windows and balconies, their eyes fixed on the forest ahead, some of them pointing to the trees, exchanging words among them. It seemed that she and her siblings had not been the only ones to witness the gates sealing closed in the distance, and by the expression on the elves' faces she could tell that this was indeed a rare occurrence.

They reached the large pair of doors that led to the King's study sooner than she had expected, Tadion pushing them open without even bothering to knock. She could hear voices inside as Lossenel gently guided her into the elegant study. Three pairs of eyes immediately turned in their direction as they entered the room but she only had eyes for one.

The Elvenking crossed the room in long strides, reaching them just as she heard Tadion softly closing the large pairs of doors behind him. He was instantly in front of her, his hands pressed to the sides of her face, ice blue eyes studying her from head to toe, worry and fear clearly visible in the iced rage of his irises.

"Almarëa." He breathed out as his eyes carefully studied her, seeming to be analyzing her both physically and mentally.

She did not move as he studied her. She could not move. It felt as if her body remained numb, all of her energy vanished into nothingness, her limbs feeling heavy and distant. All she could do was stare into his infinite ice blue eyes, knowing very well that hers were void of emotion. But she did not care. She simply wanted his presence to feel safe at the moment.

Her father gently wrapped an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to him as he led her further into the room, to the elegant couch placed close to the dancing fire. She could feel the intricate embroidery of his deep blue robes brushing against her cheek as she walked, the protective arm over her shoulders feeling incredibly comforting, even in her numbed state.

The other two elves in the room had remained perfectly still, and she immediately recognized them as the King's two closest advisors she had seen in the memories he had shown her: Doronor, with his long blond hair and deep blue eyes; and Cunir with dark hair and a shocked expression on his face. Both elves looked as if they too had just rushed out of bed, none of them wearing any braids on their hairs. She distantly noticed Tadion walking in the direction of the blond elf, the latter one opening his arms to receive the Prince in a fatherly fashion.

She was barely aware of when her father softly lowered her to sit on the comfortable couch, kneeling in front of her. She was even less aware of Lossenel carefully sitting next to her, her palm resting delicately on her back in a comforting gesture. One of the King's hands came to rest over hers on her knees, while the other softly brushed some stands of hair from her face, placing them carefully behind her ear.

His hand then travelled to her chin, lifting her head carefully as his eyes fell on the red fingermarks around her neck. She saw his eyes harden again, burning with the coldest rage she had ever seen as they fell on the angry red nail scratches just below her left ear. His hand slowly travelled to that spot, but the moment his tender fingers came in contact with her neck she flinched away, her body reacting out of pure reflexes. He removed his hand immediately, holding his palm up as his eyes lifted to meet hers.

She did not know why she had reacted that way, it was if her body was acting separately from her mind, flinching away from any touch that came near her neck, almost feeling as if she would be chocked again. She trusted him. She trusted him blindly. She knew that his tender would never hurt her. And yet she had flinched away from his touch. She had not done so with Elrohir while he had been examining her neck, then why now? Had she been so shocked at that moment that not even her body reacted against the younger twin's touch? Or had it been Elladan's soothing presence holding her safely in his arms what had allowed her to feel secure enough to be examined? She did not know.

Her father's eyes looked into hers, all the ire and burning hatred gone from his ice blue irises, which were now soft and warm, so pained and worried. She wished to tell him that she had not meant to flinch away, but she felt so distant from reality, so void of emotion. Instead she merely stared emptily into his infinitely expanding sad eyes as he lowered his hand to rest on top of hers with his other one.

"I am sorry." He whispered, his voice as tortured as his eyes but she did not answer, she could not find her voice inside of her. The only thing she managed to do was to curl her fingers around on of his hands, and found him tenderly clasping her hand between his, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Is there anything you need?" He stared at her as he spoke, his voice incredibly gentle and at the same time so pained. She slowly shook her head no, although she was not even sure if she moved her head at all.

"Do you want me to send for Elladan?" His eyes looked almost defeated as he spoke and she knew that if she said yes he would have Elladan brought here within a second, holding her in his loving strong arms once again. And yet she shook her head again, not wanting let him know just frail she felt at the moment.

The Elvenking looked at her for long moments, almost as if trying to figure what to do, but after a while he seemed to realize that he would not get any other reaction from her. She wished she could do something, say something, but her entire body and mind had shut down. Instead, he nodded his head before rising to his feet, giving her a pained smile before letting go of her hands. She saw him take hold of Lossenel's free hand, squeezing it gently before turning around and heading back to where Tadion and the advisors stood in silence, his ice blue eyes once again hard and filled with sheer rage.

"Ada." She heard Tadion saying softly, placing one hand on his father's arm.

"How are your brothers?"

"Arahaelon is sleeping, and Legolas is in the Family Wing with the twins."

The Elvenking nodded his head, walking towards the large oak desk in the room and leaning heavily on it as he lowered his head. She saw Tadion closely following behind, the two advisors doing the same.

The sun had already started to raise in the horizon, tainting the sky a deep violet in the distance. She leaned her head over her sister's delicate shoulder, feeling her small arms wrapping around her soothingly. She could feel Lossenel's delicate fingers softly stroking her long golden hair at her back, the touch resulting more comforting than she had ever imagined.

"What are you going to do?" Tadion's voice was soft as he spoke, and yet she could hear his anger and anxiety at the situation.

The King did not answer, not even lifting his head.

"All the entrances to the Palace have been closed and there are guards at every door, My Lord. No one has found anything so far." The blond elf, Doronor was the one to speak this time, his voice as soft as Tadion's although his eyes were worried, also angered at the situation. "I can have the warriors patrolling the perimeter of the gates within an hour if you wish."

Slowly the King looked up, waving the offer away with a graceful movement of his hand.

"How did that elf get past the guards and as far as into my daughter's bedchamber entirely unseen?" The King's voice was cold, filled with anger as he spoke, not really addressing anyone.

"It should not have been possible." Added Doronor, looking as worried as the King, his face firm. "There were guards at every entrance. There is no way someone could have sneaked inside the Palace without anybody noticing."

"Unless the elf was already inside." The dark haired advisor, Cunir, suddenly pointed, followed by a long heavy silence.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the King's and Doronor's eyes widen at the possibility, the anger doubling in their irises. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine as a new wave of fear started to take hold of her, slowly feeling her throat starting to constrict. She concentrated on her breathing, attempting to calm herself down and push back the memories that were threatening to resurface.

"Is there a way of knowing who has come inside the Palace today?" Tadion suggested, but the King quickly shook his head, letting out a long sigh.

"Tonight was winter's solstice. The entire realm was inside the Palace. What am I to do? Arrest every blond elf in Mirkwood? That elf either fled the Palace before anyone could catch him, or is still inside." The King answered quickly, for the first time turning to look at the other three elves.

"Either way he is trapped." Doronor added. "No one can enter or leave the realm now."

"It does not make sense." Cunir cut in. "Why did he not kill her the moment he got a hold of her? Perhaps that was not his intention."

"I do not know" The King's voice was cold as he spoke. "I do not know his intentions. For all I know it could have been anyone. No one enters and no one leaves the Palace until I say so. Cunir, I want a report from every single elf inside the Palace of where they were and who they saw in between midnight and now, with no exceptions."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

She did not turn to see the dark haired advisor leaving the study. She could almost feel the hand crushing her neck again, the memories quickly returning to her no matter how hard she tried to push them away. She was frightened, fear slowly consuming her as she tried to block away her mind from any thought. She had never felt anything like that before. She had been in many dangerous situations, but never had she felt so close to death as she had only moments ago. Never had she felt her strength slowly starting to abandon her, her mind finally realizing that she would die. Never had she felt this kind of fear before.

She could hear Doronor saying something else to the King, but her mind was no longer paying attention to the conversation. She took a deep shaky breath, trying to ease the knot that was forming at her throat as her fear returned to her, her body deciding to awaken once more from its numb state. She could feel Lossenel's delicate arms around her, trying to soothe her scared form, but her fear was only growing and growing, the memories she was trying to push back easily replaying in her mind again. She felt tears starting to blur her vision, even when she had thought that she was done with crying, that she had shed all of her tears in Elladan's arms.

"Ada"

She hardly recognized the pitiful croaked voice that escaped her lips. It sounded so frail and low, barely even audible, the pleaded need hearable in that single word surprising even her. The conversation came to a halt and she saw the King's head snapping in her direction.

He was instantly kneeling in front of her, all the ire and sternness gone from his eyes, the previous conversation suddenly forgotten as his hand quickly reached to her cheek. She was trembling slightly, all of her fear returning to her.

"What is it? Are you hurting?" He whispered quickly, his eyes seeming to studying her frantically.

Her breathing became hitched with hiccupped sobs as she felt the tears of shock and fear start to roll once again down her cheeks. Without her mind could even realize it, she leaned forward on the couch, throwing her arms around her father's neck and burying her head on his shoulder as Lossenel relinquished her hold on her. She immediately felt his arms around her back, trying to ease her trembling as she blinked through the tears.

"Shhh. You are fine. I have you." He whispered softly in a voice she knew the other elves in the room would not be able to hear, one of his hands rubbing her back soothingly.

She did not loosen her hold around his neck, as if frightened that if she let go of this protective figure her terrifying memories would return to her again. She did not say anything in return, she could not speak through her constricted throat. The King shifted her hold on her, sitting down on the couch and cradling her on his lap; although never once did she moved her hands from around his neck.

She had thought she was all right, had thought that her fear and shock had passed, that she had already cried everything she needed to cry in Elladan's arms. But she was not all right. She was far from all right. It was as if her body demanded for her to be held, for her to feel safe, her mind entering in panic and fear if her body did not feel protected. No matter how comforting and soothing her sister's embrace had been, her mind would not settle for that delicate touch, panic immediately rushing through her, the sensation of chocking returning to her neck.

"Find that elf." She heard the King's cold, irate voice hiss in the direction of Doronor, the tone an unquestionable command that signaled the end to the conversation. She heard the blue-eyed advisor immediately leaving the room, understanding an order when he heard one, no matter how impossible it seemed for said order to be followed.

She continued to hold tight onto her father, her body continuing to tremble as the tears flowed in streams down her cheeks. She was not crying hysterically, she was not even making sounds, her entire body a petrified mess of shock and panic.

"Elladan." She chocked out in the same pitiful attempt of speaking as before. "I want Elladan."

She felt her father nodding his head quickly, but before he could even move Lossenel had already jumped to her feet.

"I will go bring him." She said, not even waiting for an answer as she dashed out of the elegant room, Tadion following her immediately.

"It is all right. He will be here soon. You are fine." She heard the King whispering to her as he rubbed her trembling back, and she believed his words. She simply maintained her hold around his neck, her good hand gripping to the hem of his elegant formal robes.

It had not even been a minute since Lossenel had left the room, when there was a knock on the large wooden doors, the newcomer not waiting for an answer before quickly stepping into the room. She distantly noticed that it was a dark haired guard, his light footsteps muffled by the exquisite carpet that covered the study's floor.

"Your Majesty, a letter just arrived by carried pigeon" The elf spoke in a rush as he walked in their direction, the King's cold eyes burning through him. The elf held up one hand in the air, and she noticed that there was a neatly folded envelope held in it, its yellowish color reflecting oddly at the firelight. "It has Lord Elrond's seal on it."

Here is chapter 14! I hope you enjoy it! And please let me know what you think!

Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my previous chapter: Elf sister, Martine9295, Jibril-Kadamon, CeffylGwyn, The Grimreaper PT, gossipghurl, Paperlanterns86, BigFanOfYou, AmazingWriter123, Mary Elrondile, kcelflover, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, booklover1598 and Danda225.

Love,

Elena


	15. Maze of Thoughts

The King's head turned in the direction of the messenger elf, seeming to be making a quick decision in his mind. She did not unlock her arms from around his neck and he did not loosen his hold on her, her body still trembling slightly. However, before the King could even open his mouth to speak the doors that led to the study were thrown open without a knock.

She turned her head immediately as she saw Lossenel rushing back into the elegant study. She nearly did not notice Legolas walking quickly behind the snowy Princess for her eyes had instantly fallen on the third figure following her sister. Silver eyes immediately found hers, all the frantic worry and fear in them quickly turning into pain and sadness as she saw him taking in her shaking form.

"Take it to my chambers. I will be there in a minute." She heard the King say to the messenger elf, and she barely noticed as the latter bowed before quickly exiting the room, taking the letter from Lord Elrond to the indicated place.

Her eyes had remained fixed on Elladan, who also seemed to have paid attention to the messenger elf at all, not even turning to look as he crossed the room in long strides. His silver eyes never left hers as he dropped to his knees in front of her sitting form, eyes frantically examining her from head to toe, although she knew he was sure she did not have any injuries or was in any physical pain.

She saw his eyes look up to meet the King's, silver eyes questioning silently for any information on what is was that ailed her. She could feel his worry and fear through their bond merging with her own shock and panic and she slowly untangled her arms from around her father's neck, turning her trebling body to face Elladan. His hand immediately flew to hold hers as his silver eyes returned to look deeply into hers, pained and broken irises searching frantically into her tear stroked ones for any signs of pain or discomfort.

She felt part of her fear instantly fade away as his hand touched hers, her spirit automatically reaching for him as she felt him sending waves of calm in her direction. She felt her father press a gentle kiss on the top of her head before relinquishing his hold on her, slowly rising from the couch as Elladan sat to her other side, his arms immediately wrapping around her. She saw the King throwing a look at Elladan before he turned to leave, his ice blue eyes holding a strange mixture of warning and defeat.

"I have to go" She heard her father say in a low voice, ice blue eyes throwing her one last look before he made his way to the door, his previously gentle eyes now once again cold and hard.

She let her head fall on Elladan's shoulders, the tears that continued to silently flow from her eyes quickly soaking the fine silk of his tunic, but he did not seem to notice. Her body seemed to relax in Elladan's strong embrace, her trembling lessening slightly as she felt him through their bond.

"_Are you in pain?" _ She heard Elladan's soft voice echoing inside her mind, one of his hands carefully coming to rest over her bandaged one, clarifying what he meant.

"_No."_ Her hand still ached dully, but it no longer bothered her. He pulled her closer to him, his hold on her so gentle, as if she was made of fragile glass. _"I am just…scared." _

"_I know." _ His voice sounded pained even inside her head, and she felt one of his hands softly stroke her long golden hair at her back.

She felt her entire self start to relax, her fear slowly becoming controllable as her tears started to dry on her cheeks. Elladan did not move his arms from around her, as if he knew exactly that she needed that reassurance and protection more than ever. She was surprise to find that as she slowly started to calm down and her trembling started to lessen, the numbness she had felt before did not return, her body seeming to be relaxing without shutting itself down.

She could feel Legolas' infinite blue eyes on her, worry still staining their pure clear blue color, but he remained silent, letting Elladan continue to hold her. Her bother's eyes would turn to Lossenel every once in a while, but neither said anything. She let her left hand, her good one, travel to Elladan's, softly entwining her fingers with his and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"_Thank you, Dan."_ She said silently to him.

She felt incredibly glad that Elladan had opted for a silent conversation for she was not sure she wanted to hear how her voice would sound at that moment. He did not reply, but instead she felt him hold tighter to her hand and she could feel some of his worry easing away at the fact that she had remained responsive this time as she relaxed. She knew that when they had lay on the Crown Prince's balcony, she had simple gone limp in his arms, her body becoming emotionless.

"_You are exhausted."_ She heard him point out softly. She simply nodded her head silently in confirmation. She could feel how tired her body was, as if she had just gone through the longest day in her life, even though it had only been some hours since she had horrifically awakened from her sleep.

"_Try to sleep, my love. I will be here." _ She knew that he would not let go of her if she slept, knew that he would continue to hold her until she woke, and yet she could not get herself to fall asleep just yet, no matter how protected she felt in his strong arms.

"_No." _She said simply, her voice soft but no longer frail and broken, now sounding completely calmed and steady. _"I cannot. Not yet."_

She felt Elladan place a light kiss on her temple, not insisting on her to go to sleep. She felt incredibly better now, her body finally completely calmed as her previous shock and panic disappeared. She knew she would not be able to sleep yet, but at least she felt fine and relaxed, her body entirely responsive, and she knew Elladan could feel that too. True, the memories of the hand chocking her still made her shiver, but it was as if her mind had finally woken, quickly reasoning that she was alive and all right, and could not get stuck in that numbness.

"_At least try to rest."_ He added as he leaned back onto the cushions until she was comfortably lying next to him on the couch, his arms still wrapped around her. She complied to his request and did not say anything as she rested her head on his chest, letting her eyes fall closed as a long moment of silence settled over the elegant study.

The sun had already risen in the horizon, its golden rays filtering freely through the large balcony of the study, lighting every single surface with their delicate warmth. The gorgeous daylight remained as golden and vivid as ever, entirely oblivious to the frights the black veil of the night had brought.

"_Dan?"_ She lifted her head slightly so that she could stare into his liquid silver eyes. _"Do you know what happened after we left Imladris? Did the orcs ever made it into the Valley?"_

She remembered running into the forest, some of the orcs following them as arrows flew past her ears, missing them by inches. A cold shudder ran down her body as she tried to push those memories aside for the moment.

"_I do not know." _ His eyes continued to stare into hers, as if trying to figure out the reason for her sudden curiosity on that topic. Andy yet, she could see the faint gleam of worry in the depths of his eyes, and she knew that this was not the first time that he pondered on those questions. _"I know my Adar is all right. But I never knew what happened."_

"_A letter just arrived from your Adar. I do not know what it says though." _ She informed him, and she saw a flash of worry and thoughtfulness cross his eyes for a second before it disappeared again.

"_Do not worry about that for now. If it is something important I am sure we will know in time. Let your Adar read the letter first." _ She felt his hand gently slide down the length of he arm until his fingers found hers where they stayed laced together.

"_You just rest for now, my love." _He added and she found herself letting her eyes fall closed once more, relaxing even more in his strong embrace, her heart melting at the endearment. She placed a gentle kiss on the side of his neck. It was the only place she could reach at the moment, but she knew that he loved it when she did that.

"How is she?" Legolas' concerned voiced echoed softly in the room, and for the first time she remembered that for him and Lossenel the room had remained completely silent for long moments. Her brother's voice was barely above a whisper, as if he though she had fallen asleep and did not want to wake her. She knew that from where he sat he could not see her face. Lossenel's head had also turned in their direction as she heard the question, her gorgeous eyes looking as eager as her brother's to hear the answer. She turned her head to look at her brother, and immediately found herself staring into an infinite pair of clear blue eyes.

"Better." Her voice was merely a whisper as she spoke and she shifted in Elladan's arms until she was lying on her side, her back pressed to his chest.

Legolas rose from his seat and kneeled in front of her, so that their faces where at the same level now. She could see his infinite blue eyes staring deeply into hers, as if trying to confirm her words. His gentle eyes then turned to Elladan's, the look questioningly. She did not catch the look in Elladan's eyes as he glanced at Legolas, but when the Prince's eyes met hers again they seemed calmer, somehow softer.

"What will happen now?" She asked in the same whispered voice as before, and she could feel Elladan's arm at her waist, pulling her closer to him protectively.

Legolas' endless blue eyes stared at hers for a moment, as if contemplating how to answer her question. His lips curved up slightly, the smile trying to be reassuring, but failing miserably. The elegant study was quiet and peaceful, but she knew that they were merely inside what seemed like a crystal bubble isolating them from the chaos of the Palace. She knew that outside the doors the guards were still running around, orders were being given, and elves were become more and more anxious.

"I do not know." His voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes honest and open and she knew that he was telling the truth.

"What happened last time?" Her voice was even lower now, and for a moment she thought her brother would not be able to hear her. She threw a glance in the direction of the balcony, and she saw understating in his infinite blue eyes as he caught that she meant last time the gates had been closed.

His eyes darkened for a moment, but they remained as honest and open as he continued to stare at hers, seeming to be searching in his head for an answer. She could see a faint gleam of pain and sorrow tainting the pure color of his eyes, and for a moment she regretted her question.

"I…I do not really remember." She could hear the honesty in his soft, slow voice as he seemed to hesitate in his answer.

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to collect his memories in his head, trying to make sense of them before continuing. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Lossenel looking away, her gaze now lost in the exquisite carpet, as it was suddenly the most interesting thing she had seen in her life. Legolas threw a quick glance in the Princess direction, as if searching for help, but quickly looked back at her as he understood that Lossenel would not be adding anything to the conversation.

"I was only an elfling." Legolas continued, his infinite blue eyes looking apologetic and thoughtful. "I do not really know what happened. I…elves were everywhere…screaming…running."

His eyes had lost their focus on her, looking distant in his own memories, his voice becoming lower as he spoke. It was as if he was seeing it all over again, not really understanding what it was that had happened around him.

"I did not see the gates closing, but I remember…I remember hearing about it. Elves seeming to be yelling that everywhere. And…Tadion's name. I remember someone yelling Tadion's name over and over again. You were there. Nana was carrying you. Arahaelon…he was carrying me. We were running. Then glass. I remember glass being broken…a window I think."

His soft voice drifted off, his eyes looking distant for a moment, as if he could not recall anything else, as if his memories were nothing but a hazy collection of brief scenes and images. Slowly, his eyes turned to meet hers, as infinite an open as before, and suddenly she could see all the terror and sorrow from those brief incoherent memories reflected in his clear blue irises. He smiled faintly at her, almost apologetically.

"I do not remember more than that." His voice was lighter now, but his eyes remained as honest as before. "You will need to ask Arahaelon. He can tell you more than me."

"You will _not_ ask Arahaelon that."

She turned her head quickly, surprised at the sound of the Princess' firm voice. Legolas' head had also snapped in the direction of his sister, as taken by surprise as her at the sudden statement. Lossenel's face was a stone mask, perfectly serious as her eyes looked at Legolas warily, as if pressing her point. She could nearly feel the tension in the room as both siblings stared at each other. She was completely taken aback, not having expected this reaction at all, especially from the delicate Princess.

"And since when do you decide who gets to ask Arahaelon what?" Legolas said in return. His voice was not harsh or rude in the slightest, but it was as firm as the Princess' had been previously. "If he does not want to tell her, then he will not. But it is his decision not yours."

"Legolas." Lossenel said in warning tone. "Be sensitive."

"Rëa can ask him whatever she wishes. There is nothing wrong or insensitive in that." Legolas added, his eyes staring deeply into his sister's both pairs of eyes hard and unyielding, and she somehow had the feeling that this argument had something deeper imbedded in it.

"Ask him, Rëa." Legolas said as he turned to look at her, ignoring his sister's exasperated look.

"Legolas!" Lossenel hissed before turning her hard eyes in her direction. "You will _not_ ask Arahaelon that."

"No one is asking Arahaelon anything at the moment. He is injured and tired, so whatever it is you are arguing about, drop it."

She turned her head at the sound of the new voice, and noticed Tadion now standing in the room, the large door closing behind him with a deaf hollow sound. Legolas and Lossenel had also turned at the voice, and she could see Tadion's clear blue eyes darting from one of his siblings to the other. His voice had been calmed, low, and disinterested but it had held an authority she had never heard in it before.

Neither of her siblings said anything, the tensed argument coming to a stop, but not to an end. She did not know what to do, choosing to remain as distant and unnoticeable as possible, her mind still trying to comprehend what was happening around her. She knew the night had been a rough one, but still she did not completely understand why was Lossenel so scared and opposed to her asking Arahaelon about what he remembered.

An image of the Crown Prince's impenetrable green eyes flashed through her mind, so serene and unreadable, so mysterious and at the same time seeming to know things they would not let visible on the surface. She knew she would not ask the Crown Prince. Even if she wanted to, she would not be able to gather the courage to do so. And yet, she desperately wanted to ask him, to know what had really happened.

"Lossie." She heard Tadion's soft voice saying gently, and the Princess lifted her gaze to meet her younger brother's eyes. "You are shaken and tired. It has not been an easy night. Go rest for a while before this turns into an unnecessary fight. You need it."

Tadion's voice was tender as he spoke, but his tone left no space for arguments. The stunning Princess simply nodded her head, walking out of the room without another word, silently accepting the truth in her brother's words. Everyone seemed to remain still, only Tadion's eyes moved as they followed his sister out of the room. She saw a guard immediately escorting her as she walked down the hallway before the door fell closed once more, sealing the departing Princess form their view. Of course Tadion would have someone already waiting to escort his sister. Then, as unexpected as everything else, Tadion's clear blue eyes turned to look at her.

"Ask Arahaelon." He said simply, his clear blue eyes staring deeply into hers, their expression one she could not read. "Just not now."

"How is he?" Legolas' voice had lost every single trace of firmness or argument, sounding instead soft again, concerned.

"Not good." Tadion's eyes were fixed on Legolas, worry staining the clear blue color of his irises. He seemed to be debating whether to add something else or not. "The wound seems to be stinging more than before, and he has a fever again, this time a high one. I do not know how long ago it started."

She saw Legolas' eyes fill up with concern at the news, his brow furrowing in worry.

"The healers are tending to him now. Ada is there too." Tadion's voice remained calmed and soft, but it was not reassuring. She felt her own heart start to beat frantically at what hearing, and felt Elladan's hand giving hers a gentle squeeze. "This is not spider venom. The fever should not have returned, and he should be stronger by now. This is some other kind of poisoning."

"Have the healers found out what it is yet?" Legolas asked quickly, shock clearly visible in his infinite blue eyes.

"Yes." Came Tadion's immediate answer. "Apparently it was not hard to identify, nor is the antidote hard to make. I do not remember the name of the poison, although I heard the healers mentioning it. It was inflicted in the wound, although no one knows when or how. It looks terrible…painful. Apparently it acts very slowly, so it gives many days before it can become lethal. That is why none of the healers noticed it before. We all thought it was just spider venom."

Legola's seemed bewildered, as is he could not believe what he was hearing. She did not blame him. She felt the same way. Images of the Crown Prince lying still on the chaise on the balcony flashed through her mind. He had looked exhausted, falling asleep right there on the chaise. Had he been feeling ill then?

"So there was never a spider attack then?" Legolas seemed at a loss, looking as shocked as she felt, exchanging a prolonged look with Tadion.

"Yes there was. The wound was caused by a spider, that is for certain. But I no longer believe it was an accident. And neither do the healers. There were five guards with him, Legolas. Five. And only Ar sustained an injury. Do you really not think he knows exactly where the spider's roam in the forest? There were not supposed to be spiders in the area of the forest in which they were."

"Yes I know. I remember Ada mentioning that." Legolas cut in "And I also know he knows how to avoid being seen by one. I have been wondering about that since he came back injured, but I did not want to ask. Accident's _do_ happen every once in a while."

"Yes, I thought so too." Tadion commented, his clear blue eyes as worried and thoughtful as Legolas' "But this spider had to be provoked. Or at least created a large enough commotion for someone to have slipped poison into Ar's wound without anyone noticing. Not even him."

"That sounds impossible."

"So does the fact that someone sneaked into Almarëa's room entirely unseen."

"Do you think both attacks are related then?" She jumped slightly at the sound of Elladan's voice, and both brothers turned their heads in the direction of the elder twin.

"There is no way of knowing for sure." It was Tadion the one to answer, his worried eyes looking at Elladan with the same trust and openness as they had looked at Legolas. "But I do think so. Neither of the attacks seemed to have the intention to kill, even thought that is precisely how it looks like. If they had wanted to kill Arahaelon, there are many deadly poisons that would have him killed within short hours, before anyone could even figure out what it was. And yet, this poison gives days before it becomes life threatening, and it so happens that our healers know how to prepare the antidote by memory."

"And still, Arahaelon will takes days to recover. He will be an easy opponent should anything happen, that only in the case that he is even able to hold a sword. And Rina is mentally weakened. She is scared and exhausted." Elladan pointed out and she felt a new wave of worry cross her mind as she understood exactly what he meant.

She knew she would not be able to sleep for a while, and knew that her mind would not be as strong in the case of another attack. Or worse, if whoever had chocked her had known about her power she still did not know how to use, then he had made sure that she would most definitely not be able to use them. Put that way, it made perfect sense. It was never the elf's intention to kill, but only weaken them. Arahaelon physically; and her mentally. But why? What for?

"But why?" Legolas was the one to voice the question that plagued her mind. "What reason would anyone have for that? Do you think the elf who poisoned Ar was the same who attacked Rëa?"

"I do not know who poisoned Ar, or how or when they did it. But I doubt it was the same elf." Tadion answered this time, his voice as wary as his eyes. "I think there is more than one elf in this."

"It still does not make sense." Legolas added. "They only managed to infuriate Ada. The gates are sealed now. No one can enter or leave. Did they really not think we would know someone was behind this? They are trapped."

"Maybe that is what they wanted." Tadion's voice was low as he spoke, as if he had never thought about what he was saying now. "Maybe they knew Ada would do something about it. He has to release the gates at some point. It takes too much energy and concentration to keep a hold on them, and you know that. It might be days, or it might be weeks, but he will need to release them…

Here is chapter 15! I hope you enjoy it! And please let me know what you think! I will update as soon as I can!

Also, thank you immensely to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Dingdongsong, Hirilnin, CannonRebel, smulderalert, Jibril-Kadamon, kcelflover, wonderpanda10, Mary Elrondile, Paperlanterns86, Danda225, sarahweasley, elf sister, KrystylSky, booklover1598, AmazingWriter123, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Wtiger5, CeffylGwyn, Coco99, and my 2 guest reviewers.

Love,

Elena


	16. True Or False

Tadion's words echoed in her head over and over again, her brain not seeming willing to believe them. She had not even noticed that she was now sitting up straight on the couch, her hand still held securely in Elladan's as one of his strong arms remained wrapped around her protectively.

The air seemed frozen, haunted, the words floating like ghosts in the now cold and empty sunlight that filled the room. The sun had already risen high in the horizon, but it felt as if the day had not yet come. She could see Legolas' infinite blue eyes staring deeply into his brother's, his brow furrowed in worry. She did not know what to do, what to say. Everything felt so unreal.

"I simply cannot understand this." Legolas said finally, throwing himself on one of the empty cushioned seats that furnished the elegant study. His voice sounded desperate, hopeless, and at the same time she could hear the faint edge of rage in the musical sound. Silence fell once again across the room, but she could tell that the same thoughts ran inside all of their minds.

"What does Ada think?" Legolas' infinite blue eyes turned up to meet his brother's equal pair, blue meeting blue in a long silent stare.

"I have not spoken to him." Tadion's voice was quiet, thoughtful, his clear blue eyes looking as worried and alert as his youngest brother's. "But I saw it on his face. He is not a fool. He easily made the connections between the attacks."

"I will go see Arahaelon." Tadion sighed as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. "I cannot stand here doing nothing."

"I will go with you." She was surprised to hear her steady voice echoing through the room. It seemed as if her voice had spoken her thoughts before her mind could process them.

Tadion's clear blue eyes turned in her direction, drowning her in their infinitudes, cautious and contemplative, as if considering what she had said. For a moment she thought that he would oppose to her request, but he merely nodded his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

She could feel Elladan's silver eyes staring at her silently, but he did not say anything. Instead she felt his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze. She could tell her brothers' eyes were carefully analyzing her, as if trying to make sure that she was indeed feeling better. She could easily see the concern in their equally blue eyes, but at the moment, all she could think of was her sudden need to at least offer her company to the Crown Prince. She felt useless, and it seemed like the only thing she could do to help.

And yet, there was a part of her that simply needed to know what was happening, or if anyone knew what was happening. She knew basically nothing. No one had told hear anything. The only thing she knew was the short explanation about her powers that her father had given her only a couple of days ago. It was infuriating. And still, she knew she would not ask the Crown Prince anything at the moment. She would not dare to do so until he was at least fully healed.

"I will also go." She heard Legolas saying softly as he rose to his feet, his eyes looking pained and worried.

She slowly rose to her feet, Elladan doing the same next to her, his arm still wrapped around her waist. He turned to face her, and she let herself free fall into his endless silver eyes, the eyes that had become the center of her attention.

"_I will go check on Elrohir. I need to speak with him. Let me know if you need anything, I do not care what it is." _ Elladan's sweet voice danced inside her head as he gave her hand another gentle squeeze. She could see in his liquid silver eyes that he was still worried about her, but he could also feel through their bond that she was feeling better.

"_I will."_ She promised, trying to sound as reassuring as she could, her voice filled with transparent honesty. She could tell that he did not want to let go of her, but he could also feel her need to make sure that her oldest brother was all right, and that she would be safe with her two brothers by her side.

"_Try to rest at least for a while, Rina. You are already exhausted. And let me know if your hand starts to hurt again." _His liquid silver eyes looked at hers deeply, loving and caring as she drowned in endless swirls of melted silver. She could see the deep concern of the healer he was sparkling in his silver eyes as he looked at her. She simply nodded her head, not able to take her eyes away from his.

"_Thank you for coming, Dan."_ She felt her lips curving up in the faintest of smiles, one that reached her eyes even in its weakness. _"And forgive me that I sent for you in such a way. I know I scared you." _

"_You can send for me anytime. I do not care the hour."_

She saw a faint smile appearing on his handsome face, mirroring hers. Then he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. The gesture was sweet and caring, but she could feel through their bond a deeper meaning to that simple action. She knew he would not kiss her in front of Tadion, but the way in which his hand added a little pressure to her waist, and his loving eyes stared adoringly into hers was enough for her.

"_I love you." _She felt his fingers toying around with the gorgeous ring newly placed on her left hand's third finger, as if to emphasize his words.

"_I love you too." _She answered before she felt his hand letting go of hers as she made her way to where Tadion and Legolas waited for her at the large pair of doors, oblivious to their silent interchange of words.

Tadion wrapped an arm over her shoulders as soon as she reached his side, and she did not complain, enjoying her brother's closeness. The Palace outside the King's study was a mess of guards rushing through the long corridors, all of them either giving or receiving orders. Legolas seemed lost in his thoughts, and she did not dare to take him out of them.

The three of them walked in silence, their footsteps echoing hollowly on the majestic columns and thin pointed arches that framed the corridors. The bright daylight entered freely through he many balconies and interior gardens, filling the entire Palace with their golden touch, but somehow she could not feel their warmth.

She was not surprised that the number of guards seemed to double as they reached the Private Wing of the Palace, the elves quickly making way for the three them as they passed. The very familiar ample hallway that led to her chambers seemed to be the most active place at the Palace. There was a bunch of guards standing at the closed wooden door that she knew led to the Crown Prince's bedchambers, and she felt her heart race as she saw healer rushing in and out of it.

The beautifully crafted wooden door opened when they were at a close distance from it and a blond tall elf dressed in the garments of the healers walked out of the room, only to be stopped by Tadion.

"How is he?" Tadion's voice was gentle and yet the sheer worry and plea in his voice seemed enough to make anyone answer to his question immediately. The blond healer let out a defeated sigh before answering, and for a moment she dreaded hearing what he had to say.

"In a lot of pain." The healer looked apologetically at his Prince, as if wishing he had better news to give. "The fever is too high. We have not yet been able to lower it. So far he has not been able to keep down anything we have given him."

She let her eyes fall to the polished marble floor, not knowing where to look as she processed the healer's words.

"Have you given him the antidote yet?" Tadion asked urgently, and she lifted her eyes to look at him.

"Not yet. They have not finished preparing it. Master Melnor is in there. He will try to give him something to sleep, but we do not think he will get any rest as long as the fever remains this high. You should go inside, your Majesty. He is awake, although not entirely aware of his surroundings. My King is inside with him."

Before the healer had even finished speaking Tadion was already walking past him and in the direction of the door, Legolas and her rushing closely behind him. She felt like in a daze, her heart racing inside her chest as her feet moved on their own.

Inside the room was dimly lit, the curtains pulled closed against the bright sunlight and only a few candles filled the large chambers with their flickering light. It was enough light to allow clear visibility, but leaving the elegant chambers dark enough to not disturb a peaceful sleep.

She immediately recognized the dark haired healer, Melnor, working at a small table on one corner of the room, three other healers also moving with him, mixing herbs on a steaming cup. The room smelled strongly of Athelas, and for a moment she felt petrified, stopping right next to Legolas as the door fell closed behind them.

The Crown Prince lay on the large comfortable bed, in the exact same place where Legolas had helped him lie down only some hours ago. He looked pale, and a thin layer of sweat covered his burning skin, dampening his long blond hair and making the sheets stick to him. He was breathing heavily, eyes closed behind heavy eyelids, either in pain or exhaustion she did not know. His sleeping tunic had been removed, and instead she could see new clean bandages covering his entire torso. Even from the distance she could see his face was flushed red with fever, his body shivering, feeling cold even with the waves of heat that seemed to emanate from him.

The Elvenking sat silently on the edge of mattress, seeming to not even notice the healers inside the room as his hand softly stroked his firstborn's sweaty strands of hair. Arahaelon let out a painful moan, his head rolling to the side on the pillow as his hand feebly reached for his bandaged side, only to be caught midway by the King's strong hand. She heard her father softly whispering something in elvish to the Crown Prince as he returned his son's hand to his side over the covers.

Arahaelon did not seem to hear his father, and his hand flew once more to grab at his side, only to find the Elvenking repeating the same routine. She noticed that Tadion had rushed to his brother, standing next to his father as he quickly stopped Arahaelon's other hand from touching the bandages, also adding something in elvish.

"Can you not give him something for the pain?" The King demanded in his cold serene voice, ice blue eyes looking up to pierce Melnor mercilessly. On the other side of the bed she could see two other elves hovering over the ailing Prince, one of them pressing a cool wet cloth to his forehead and neck in a failed attempt to cool down the fever.

"This should help." The head healer did not show any reaction to the King's piercing stare, his voice as calmed as before as he quickly walked towards the bed with a steaming cup in his hand. "It is the strongest I dare give him before giving him the antidote."

She had not even noticed that she had moved to stand closer to Legolas, her brother wrapping a protective arm around her, although his eyes never left the Crown Prince's form. She watched petrified as her father carefully lifted Arahaelon into a sitting position, Tadion sliding a pillow behind his eldest brother's back before gently helping the steaming cup to his lips. The Crown Prince drank slowly, taking only small sips at a time, his younger brother having to coax him to continue in a couple of times.

One of the healers who had been working at the small table suddenly approached the bed, handing Melnor another cup filled with steaming liquid. She saw Tadion rising from the bed, handing the now empty cup to another healer's waiting hands.

"Here, my Lord." She heard Melnor saying in low voice as he handed the new cup to Tadion.

However, before the young Prince could move, the door of the large chambers was suddenly pushed open. She quickly turned her head to find the advisor, Doronor, stepping into the room, his dark blue eyes fixed on the Elvenking.

"My Lord, we have all the reports from the guards and patrols. There seems to be movement just beyond the south gate."

The King's impenetrable ice blue eyes were looking directly at the blond advisor, his face a perfectly composed serene expression. By the look on the advisor's dark blue eyes she could tell that there was more information in those words than what he was actually saying. She saw her father's eyes turn to look at his eldest son once more as if debating whether or not to leave the room.

"We will stay with Ar." Legolas said next to her, his infinite blue eyes catching his father's for a short moment. The King nodded his head, not adding anything as he rose from the bed and made his way towards the waiting advisor. He walked as tall and elegant as ever, his ice blue eyes so powerful and unreadable, holding and aura of unquestionable authority even in his perfectly serene expression.

The King's ice blue eyes met hers as he reached the door, observing her carefully, and she immediately understood the silent question in his infinite eyes: How are you? She offered him a faint smile as an answer, and he seemed to accept that as a good enough answer before quickly exiting the room, the blond advisor following closely behind. Tadion had moved to take his father's former place, already gently helping the new steaming cup the healer had handed him to his eldest brother's lips.

"What are they giving him now?" She quietly asked Legolas, absently following him to sit on the comfortable couch placed on one end of the room.

"That is the antidote." Her youngest brother explained as he sat down next to her. "Before that was a pain killer. I think it is Melnor's intention to put Ar to sleep in the lapse that it takes for the antidote to kick in. You do not have to stay here if you do not want to. It is not a pretty sight."

His infinite blue eyes were looking at her carefully, as if trying to read if she was scared or shaken, but she was neither of those. His voice was low, and she knew that their conversation could not be heard by any of the other elves inside the room.

"Tadion was careful with his wording about the poison. He did not want to alarm you, so he tends to sugar coat things."

"He said it was not lethal." She quickly said, suddenly needing for her youngest brother to confirm that statement. "He said that it gave several days before it could become lethal."

"Yes." Legolas said quickly, one of his hands falling to rest over her shoulder reassuringly. "Ar will be just fine. Everything Tadion said is true, but I have seen this type of poisoning before, and I can assure you Arahaelon will not have a very pleasant time. It works very slowly and it is easy to identify and treat, but it is very strong. The antidote is as aggressive as the poison itself."

She did not know what to expect. Part of her wanted to leave the room while she still could, but the biggest part of her wanted to stay. She had seen many sick men before, she had helped her mother in caring for of them at her village, ad yet she could not understand why the sight of the pale and fevered Crown Prince shocked her thus. Elves were not supposed to be ill, and the fact that the poisoning had been intentional enraged her. She knew it would surely not be a pretty sight, but she would stay. Arahaelon had been the first one to her chambers when she needed help.

"Do you also believe this was intentional?" Her voice was low as she lifted her eyes to meet her brother's infinite blue ones.

"Yes." Legolas' voice was barely audible, and she could hear the anger in the musical sound as his eyes hardened for a moment. "And it was very carefully thought out. Whoever did this wanted to ensure that Ar would not be able to leave his bed for some days, but without causing him any real harm. I also believe that the elf that attacked you wanted to be seen. What I do not know is why."

She turned her eyes to the bed once more, not having an answer to Legolas' question. The Crown Prince seemed to have finished drinking the draught, and Tadion was now helping him lie down once more on the soft bed. Arahaelon's eyes fluttered open for the first time since she had entered the room, green eyes turning up to look at his brother's clear blue ones.

The Crown Prince's eyes were dazed with the fever, seeming to be trying to focus on his brother's face. And yet they looked so different from all the times she had stared into his eyes. The impenetrable and mysterious barrier that seemed to coat them permanently had vanished. For the first time, his eyes were entirely unguarded.

Deep melted emeralds stared into Tadion's clear blue eyes, so reachable it felt unreal, everything that was usually concealed in their unreadable depths suddenly swirling to the surface, and even though his eyes were not looking at hers she could not look away. And even in their weakness and fevered state, she could see a power in his stare like no other she had seen before, as if somehow they could see beyond what her eyes could, could penetrate further into her mind than what she thought possible. Suddenly, those eyes that seemed so unreadable and impenetrable seemed to be able to reach further and deeper into what they stared than she had ever imagined.

Suddenly she felt that everything she thought she knew about the Crown Prince was false. She had believed that his eyes were naturally impenetrable, his emotions and thoughts simply not showing to the surface, all of those feelings merely too shallow to be able to occupy the entirety of his powerful and serene emerald eyes. Now she knew that everything she had seen was nothing but a glass barrier that sealed his eyes. Everything she had thought she had seen swirling in the depths beyond his unreadable eyes had indeed been there the entire time. And yet, there was another kind of power in his now melted eyes, something she was not sure she could place or name, but could most definitely see.

The moment lasted only a second for the Crown Prince let his eyes fall close once again in exhaustion, still shivering slightly as he breathed heavily. He looked overly tired and his eyes did not open again. She only hoped that the pain draught would be making an effect, putting him to sleep for at least a while.

Her eyes absently fixed on Tadion as he carefully placed the covers over his brother's form, pulling them up until they were perfectly lined with Arahelon's shoulders. She then saw him gently brushing some damp strands of light blond hair from Arahaelon's face, carefully straightening them over the pillow. He seemed intent in making his eldest brother feel as comfortable as he could.

To her relief the pain draught seemed to make and effect shortly, and she saw the Crown Prince's breathing starting to slow steadily as he finally dozed off to sleep. His cheeks remained flushed ad his body continued to shiver against the high fever, but at least he was no longer aware of it.

The group of healers that filled room silently headed towards the door, one of the quietly saying something in elvish to Tadion before closing the door behind them. Now, in the cold silence of the elegant chambers she could hear the movement of guards outside the door, some of them simply seeming to be standing at either side of it.

She could feel her own exhaustion starting to consume her, and before she could realize it her head was falling over Legolas' shoulder, although she forced herself to stay awake. Legolas did not say anything, simply shifting to accommodate her better, and she was glad for his lack of comment.

Her mind was a swirl of thoughts that felt like an unsolvable puzzle. She could still feel the Elvenking's heavy power floating in the air, holding the majestic gates sealed together. Her thoughts then drifted to the letter from Lord Elrond she had almost forgotten about. Had the King already read it? What did it say? Did the Elf-Lord know what was happening here in Mirkwood at this exact moment? Or was it something about what had happened in Imladris after they had left?

And then, there was the image of the powerful blue stoned ring glowing dimply upon the Elf-Lord's hand: Vilya. Even in the elegant and warm interiors of the Crown Prince's chambers, she could identify the unmistakable faint whispering of the ring floating in the air, feeling more like merely a presence rather than a power, tugging her slightly to it as she concentrated on it until she pulled away, not wanting to draw herself towards it. She remembered feeling the ring's power filtering through her veins, burning through her body as it became part of her, and it had felt so natural, not even knowing if she was using the ring or if the ring had been using her.

And even more puzzling was the image of the Crown Prince's emerald eyes, and she knew that she had seen in them something he had most probably not intended her to see. Tadion had not seemed at all surprised by the sudden change in his brother's stare, and she knew there was no way Tadion had missed the weak power she saw in Arahaelon's eyes. Suddenly she had the feeling that the Crown Prince might not be as different from her as she thought…

Here is chapter 16! I hope you like it! My apologies for the long wait, I was out of town for the week and did not have my laptop with me. Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Jibril, Elf sister, Glory Bee, kcelflover, CeffylGwyn, Wtiger5, Mary Elrondile, Mj, wonderpanda10, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, a dream of fantasy, BigFanOfYou, dingdongsong, Danda225, ShueYun, Paperlanterns86, booklover1598, Martine9295 (twice for the one I missed), AmazingWriter123, Coco99, and my guest reviewer!

Love,

Elena


	17. At The Reach Of My Hand

She blinked a couple of times, waking up with a start. She had not even realized it when she had started to fall asleep, and she forced her eyes to stay open, jumping slightly as she sat up on the couch. It took her a moment to remember where she was, feeling slightly disoriented. She noticed that she had been lying down on the comfortable couch on the Crown Prince's chambers and a pillow had been placed under her head as well as a soft blanket covering her body.

She let her eyes travel across the room. Legolas was nowhere to be seen. The slightly orange shade of the light that fought to filter through the closed heavy curtains told her that it was late afternoon. The sun was barely starting to set in the horizon. She had slept a couple of hours, but not many.

A peaceful silence embraced the elegant chambers, caressing her skin with its calming presence, her hair falling over her shoulders completely still at the nonexistent wind. Arahaelon lay unmoving on the large bed placed in the center of the room. He had not moved an inch since the last time she had seen him. He looked far too pale, eyes closed in his sleep, the slow and steady rise and fall of his chest the only sign that he was still alive. His handsome face was still flushed indicating that the he still suffered from a fever, but to her greatest relief it seemed to have lowered a little.

Tadion sat completely still on a cushioned chair that had been pulled close to the bed. The Prince's head was thrown back in what seemed to be a very uncomfortable way, golden hair falling unceremoniously over his shoulders in disarray of loose silken strands, clear blue eyes glazed in elven sleep. She rose from the couch as silently as she could, taking the soft blanket with her and placing it over Tadion as carefully as possible, the latter not even stirring at the touch. He must have been exhausted too.

For the first time she let her eyes really explore the room, taking in every single detail of it. Everything inside the room seemed to be in perfect order, every single item neatly placed on its right spot. There was a small wooden table with some cushioned chairs in one corner of the room, and she immediately knew from where Tadion had gotten his chair.

The elegant emerald green robes the Crown Prince had worn for the winters solstice celebration were thrown over the back of one of the chairs, where no one had yet come to pick them up. A bunch of unwrapped presents rested over the polished wood surface, their silver and golden ribbons glowing dimly in the faint light. She was painfully reminded that the spectacular celebration had only taken place the night before. It seemed so far away now, so impossible to believe.

She absently walked across he room, not knowing what else to do, trying to be as silent as possible as to not wake up either of her brothers. Both the heavy curtains and the soft covers of the bed where in a dark shade of blue, giving the room an even more serene environment. There was a large wooden bookshelf against one of the walls, but she was not interested in exploring it. She already knew that she would not be able to read any of the books she found in there. Instead, she made her way to the beautifully crafted wooden desk.

There were some pieces of paper spread over its surface, all of them blank, and an exquisite quill lay neatly placed close to one edge of the desk, appearing to be untouched, not a trace of ink visible on it. Her eyes danced over the many tiny flasks of dark ink, the cut crystal of the flasks seeming to sparkle as the light touched them, glittering in silvers and white against the deep black of the ink on their insides.

She let the tip of her fingers fall lightly over the disarray of blank papers, moving them around absently over the polished wood surface. They made a muted sound as they shifted under her light touch, paper brushing against paper. She stopped, her attention suddenly caught by a specific piece of paper. Only one corner of it was visible underneath the other papers on top of it, suddenly coming into view when she had moved the others. A faint dark line was visible in that tiny corner of the paper, the rest of it still buried under the pile of blank ones.

Slowly she moved the other papers aside, her curious eyes remaining fixed on that specific parchment as it came entirely into view. She heard herself gasping silently, her hand stopping its movement as her eyes took in the image that had appeared before them. It was a drawing. Delicate lines filled the entire surface of the paper, all them perfectly stroked in all different widths and shades of blacks, some of them so faint they were nearly invisible and others strong and thick.

Her eyes seemed to be glued to drawing, unable to look away from it, trying to take in every single detail of it. Two figures composed the image. To the right end of the page she could see the delicate features of the face of a lady, her head slightly tilted down, the traces of charcoal seeming to capture the gorgeous gleam of the faint smile on her lips. In her arms was a baby; a girl from the little dress she could see was wearing. The light traces that composed both the baby and lady's hair indicated they were both blond, the lady's long locks flowing naturally around her face in a heavenly golden halo. The baby's little hand seemed to be grabbing one of her mother's locks of hair, the lady's eyes fixed on the tiny hand, smiling at her daughter's curiosity.

She carefully picked the drawing in her good hand, looking at it over and over again. The hand that had traced those lines seemed to have made no mistake, every line completely precise, every proportion entirely perfect. And yet, there was something else apart from the sheer perfection and beauty of the drawing that caught her attention. Somehow, the lady's fair face was familiar to her. She had seen it in her dreams before, always holding a squealing young version of Legolas. It was her mother.

She was speechless, feeling lost in the image traced before her eyes. Had the Crown Prince drawn this? Her eyes darted towards the bed, disbelieved, only to find a pair of deep green eyes staring back at her. She froze. Arahaelon's eyes were dazed, incredibly weak, the usual piercing force that they seem to carry nearly unrecognizable. And yet, they did not look the same way they had looked some hours before as he stared at Tadion. They were guarded, all the liquid emotions she had seen swirling in his melted emerald eyes now completely sealed behind impenetrable irises. The glassy barrier that covered his eyes was weak and she could easily see his exhaustion and pain reflected in his fevered gaze, but nonetheless the barrier was there.

"What are you doing?" His voice was barely audible and weak, but firm and she felt the immediate need to apologize. But apologize for what?

Once again she felt small under his gaze, knowing that he was much more older than her, part of her feeling guilty to be caught with the drawing in her hand, lurking through his things without his consent. How long had he been awake and she had not noticed? Had the sleeping draught worn out so soon? The Crown Prince's eyes were not cold, but they were not warm either, and she suddenly felt as if she had overstepped an invisible boundary. Slowly, she placed the piece of paper containing the drawing back on the desk, his eyes never leaving her as she moved.

The moment the drawing was out of her hand, she swore she saw something in his eyes shift, his impenetrable irises suddenly looking gentler, although still remaining as unreadable as ever. She chose to ignore that fact, feeling completely exposed under his weak piercing stare, unsure of what it was she had done wrong. Instead, she silently walked towards the bed, watching concerned as Arahaelon's eyes fell closed for a moment, pain and exhaustion lining his handsome face.

She carefully sat at the edge of the mattress, trying to move the least possible as not to disturb him. The Crown Prince's eyes fluttered open once more, looking directly at her, as deep and impenetrable as before. She could tell he was not feeling well in the slightest, his eyes betraying much more of his fatigue than she knew he would willingly allow.

"How are you?" He asked before she could say anything, his voice a barely audible sound, so weak it gave her shills to hear it. She wanted to laugh at his question, and yet felt guilty all over again that it was he the one asking her how she felt when it should have been the other way around. What made her heart sink even further was the honest concern hearable in his weak voice.

"Much better than you." She answered in a low voice, not wanting to be too loud as to avoid the volume of her voice disturbing him or waking Tadion.

Arahaelon let out what seemed to be a faint chuckle, his lips barely capable of making the effort to curve up in a smile. His eyes fell closed for another moment and she waited patiently for him to open them again.

"That is not hard to achieve right now."

That managed to get a smile from her and she saw his own lip curving up to mirror hers. His gesture, however, only lasted a fragment of a second for his eyes closed tightly again, his face scrunching up in obvious pain as his hand weakly flew to rest over his right side, barely touching the white bandages that covered his torso. She felt her heart sink, feeling utterly useless as she once again waited patiently for him to open his eyes.

"Do you want me to get a healer?" She asked once his eyes were looking into hers, her voice leaving every trace of humor behind. She did not let her sudden worry and panic show on her face as she tried her best to look as calmed as possible. It was obvious he was hurting and he still had a fever and she did not know what to do to help. She did not even know what to say to him; she did not really know him.

"No." His face relaxed once more, looking as serene as before, although he still looked overly tired and his hand never left his side. "They can do nothing more."

She nodded her head in silence, not knowing what else to say. Instead she let her eyes roam about the elegant room once more, trying to think of what to say to him. At this point she would say anything if it somehow succeeded to distract him.

"Almarëa?" Her eyes returned to the Crown Prince at the weak sound of her name. His eyes were once again closed tiredly, not opening as he spoke. "Could you get me some water, please?"

She could easily tell that he did not enjoy asking her to get the water for him, but she also knew that there was no way in Arda he would be able to rise from his bed at that moment.

"yes, of course." She instantly rose from the bed, eager to have something to do, and quickly walked to the table where a silver pitcher filled with water rested alongside an upside down crystal glass. She carefully filled the glass before walking back to her brother, only to find Arahaelon slowly lifting his body to sit up on the bed.

She immediately moved to help him, but he waved her off with a graceful movement of a hand and instead she focused on rearranging the pillows behind his back, in the same way in which she had seen Tadion doing some hours ago. The Crown Prince leaned heavily against the headboard, looking as if the simple change of position had required an unimaginable effort.

"Thank you." He whispered as she carefully handed him the glass waiting until she was sure he had a firm grip on it before letting go.

She simply nodded her head, letting her eyes look absently around the room for the hundredth time. Everything felt so confusing, she could hardly believe what was happening in the palace around her, let alone understand the reasons why. The image of the drawing flashed across her mind once more and she turned her head to look at Arahaelon.

"Did you draw that?" Her voice remained low, her mouth speaking before her mind could entirely make a decision about it. The Crown Prince lifted his eyes to look at her, impenetrable emerald irises cautious, carefully reading her face.

"The image on your desk, I mean." She specified, making an effort to hold her eldest brother's piercing gaze, her face as unreadable as his. "Was it you who drew it?"

He did not say anything, his hard and impenetrable eyes not faltering for a second. She remained still, holding his gaze steadily, not showing on her face the sudden nerves that had started to build in her stomach. For a split second she mentally kicked herself for her question, finally comprehending that she had no clue what to expect of his reaction.

"Yes."

Her face did not show it, but she felt her body relax slightly at the gentle, yet guarded, sound of his voice. She did not know from where she was getting her sudden courage, but she could not get herself to look away from her eldest brother's piercing eyes. Only some hours ago she had seen behind those impenetrable irises, she could tell that he was not as cold and detached as he appeared to be.

"It is beautiful." She said finally, her eyes looking soft as she took in his wary and calculating expression. He seemed to be trying to guess where she was headed. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh before speaking again.

"Arahaelon?" Her voice was serious, her eyes as open and honest as they could be. It felt strange calling him by his name, as if she was lacking a needed formality. And yet the word had flowed easily trough her lips. I was a strange sensation.

The Crown Prince's eyes remained looking at her, so royal and gorgeous and at the same time so unreachable and serene. She could not make out a single emotion in those spectacular hard emerald eyes. And somehow his eyes were not unfriendly. They seemed welcoming even in their unreachable vastness.

"I never got a chance to thank you for coming so quickly to my aid." She finally said. A faint smile adorned his lips, and he nodded his head in response, not adding anything else to her comment.

A soothing melody carried gently in the wind reached her ears, and for the first time she noticed that the sun had finally set in the horizon. The trees were singing again. For a moment, the faint melancholic voices swaying in the air felt like the most comforting sound in that dark and tensed aura that seemed to envelop the palace.

The Crown Prince's eyes had fallen closed once more, the ghost of his latest smile sill present on his face. His handsome features relaxed as the feeble wind that squeezed through the curtains caressed his far too pale and fevered skin.

"Would you like me to open the balcony?" She offered instantly, unable to contain a soft chuckle from escaping her lips.

"Please." Was his only answer and she immediately moved towards the heavy curtains, pulling them aside to let the fresh night air dance freely into the room. More than the soothing cool air of the night, she longed for the melody of the trees to reach her ears more easily, to let part of her anxiety and worry fade away in the playful breeze.

Arahaelon's eyes remained closed, his face softer now, some of the lines of pain disappearing as the cool breeze brushed his face. Slowly, she returned to sit on the bed, choosing to remain silent as to allow him to rest.

"Thank you." He whispered again after a short pause, his emerald green eyes opening to look into hers, green meeting green. He let out a humorless chuckle, his eyes looking softer as he stared at her once more "I should be the one taking care of you and not the other way around. You are my baby sister."

"I am not the one in bed." She answered and he closed his eyes, letting out a single musical chuckle. Silence settled between them as Arahaelon took a short break to simply breathe.

"How is your hand?" She turned her head to meet his eyes, emerald irises filled with real concern as they travelled down to her broken limb. Guilt consumed her for like the thousandth time that night. She had not once asked him how he was feeling and yet he was attentive to her small injury.

"It is better." She replied truthfully, smiling reassuringly. "It does not hurt anymore."

He nodded his head in response, shifting slightly until he was sitting in a more comfortable position. Carefully, she took the empty glass from his hands and placed it on the small bedside table.

"And when is the wedding?" She could not hide her surprise from showing on her face as she quickly turned to look at him. The Crown Prince was smiling at her, impenetrable emerald eyes watching her with the same mocking gleam with which they had teased Tadion the night of the celebration. "Do no pretend like I cannot see that ring on your hand."

She did not know how to read him. Every time she thought she had figured out what he would do or say he managed to surprise her, his piercing eyes seemed to look through hers so easily, and yet they left nothing for her to see behind their mysterious seal. He seemed so distant and at the same time he spoke so easily and openly.

"I do not know yet." She answered, unable to hold back a smile at the simple reminder of her engagement to Elladan. Arahaelon nodded his head again, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back on the elegant headboard tiredly.

"Elladan is a lucky ellon." He breathed out lowly, not opening his eyes as he spoke, his face once again contorting in pain. She did not answer, allowing some peaceful time to catch his breath.

The trees kept singing into the wind, accompanied by the gentle music of the swaying leaves. They were so peaceful, so untroubled, oblivious and uncaring to all the chaos that seemed to be swallowing the palace at the moment. They simply sang.

The Crown Prince's eyes were still closed, relaxing into the breeze, lips gently curved up in the faintest of smile. It seemed almost surreal that such a simple thing as fresh air could cause him this relief from the poison that burned through his veins, this heavenly distraction. A different thought crossed her mind, and her heart stopped for a moment.

"Too bad the trees do not sing every night, do you not think?" She said suddenly in a low voice.

Arahaelon's eyes snapped open, darting in her direction. His eyes met hers, suddenly looking more powerful than before, observing her. She held his gaze steadily and she could see in his eyes that he knew exactly what she was talking about. There was no need for him to confirm her suspicions with words. She could already see it in the smirk gleaming cautiously in his hard emerald eyes. He could hear the trees singing. That was what the melody that seemed to be soothing him.

The Crown Prince reacted in the way she had least expected. A musical chuckle left his lips as he shook his head lightly before his eyes fixed on hers once more.

"And still you have not yet asked me a single one of the questions that I can see plaguing your eyes." He muttered and she felt herself freeze in her spot, his piercing stare seeming to swallow her entirely until she felt he could see directly into her mind. What did that mean? That he was willing to answer if she asked?

However, before she could even open her mouth to speak she felt a familiar force knocking her out of her senses, so strong and unannounced that it took her completely out of guard. She felt as if she had been suddenly hit in her head, her vision turning pitch back as she felt herself being dragged into swirling darkness, her ears ringing as her head spun. She could not get herself to focus. Vilya screeched loudly in her ears, her skull feeling as it was being crushed.

As quickly as the force had gripped her it vanished, and she tumbled forward, feeling a pair of hands grabbing her by the shoulders before she fell. Her vision returned to her eyes and she noticed that she was still sitting on the edge of the bed, Arahaelon catching her halfway before she collapsed onto the soft mattress. The attack had lasted less than a second.

Green eyes were looking intently at her, piercing her deeper than they ever had before, the hard barrier that seemed to cover them now entirely gone. She could once again see that faint gleam of that strange power swirling in his melted emerald eyes as he watched her carefully, alarmed. The Crown Prince's arms trembled slightly as he held her and she instantly sat back straight, shock never leaving her face.

To her surprise she could feel no pain at all. She could feel nothing except from the shock. It had been too quick to leave the splitting headache such attacks usually did, but nonetheless she felt weaker, her own body trembling slightly at the sudden lack of strength. It was as if the force had simply sucked away her strength and let go of her, not really fighting or pulling her into the crushing pain. It was not the same kind of attacks she had suffered before. This was entirely new. Fear sank in as she realized what this most likely meant: There was more than one attacker.

Arahaelon's arms weakly dropped back to his sides the moment he understood she could sit by herself, but his piercing eyes never left hers. His eyes were alert, surprised, worry easily visible in their now transparent depths. Even in his weakness his melted emerald irises swallowed her so powerfully that she could not look away. He knew exactly what had happened to her, she could tell.

"What happened? Rëa, are you all right?" Her eyes darted in Tadion's direction only to find his clear blue eyes fixed on hers, as alert and worried as Arahaelon's. He must have woken in that split second in which the attack took place.

Her body was frozen, her mouth not willing to answer as she simply stared into her brother's clear blue eyes. With an effort, she opened her mouth to speak but the words died in her throat as another sound echoed through the large chambers. Her heart raced inside her chest, a silent gasp escaping her lips. Three pairs of eyes turned in the direction of the sound, Tadion's questions disappearing into the realm of the forgotten, never to be answered.

All she could feel was her heart drumming loudly against her chest, the sudden wind hitting harshly against her face. She remembered this sound. She remembered it far to well. Out in the distance she could see the faint line of trees moving, their leaves suddenly shaking aggressively against each other, branches cracking as they stretched and moved. It looked exactly the same as it had various hours ago, as if something was flying quickly through the trees in the distant forest, tracing a perfect line. Except that this time the strong and overwhelming power she had felt grasping the air around her was gone. There was nothing left of it, only the hollow emptiness of is ghostly memory. The King had released the gates. And it had happened in less time than any of them had anticipated.

Here is chapter 17! I hope the wait was not too long! Please let me know what you think of it!

Also, again thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, I can't tell you how much every single one of your words means to me! Jibril, AnneWithane, Martine9295, Coco99, booklover1598, Hirilnin, CeffylGwyn, Mary Elrondile, AmazingWriter123, wonderpanda10, Wtiger5, Paperlanterns86, and xX-MissyMoo-Xx.

Happy Brithday Martine9296! This chapter is for you! I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Love,

Elena


	18. The Newcomer

At first no one moved. It was as if the sound of the gates opening in the distance was still drumming on the majestic stone walls of the Crown Prince's chambers. Tadion's attentive eyes were still staring at the distant forest, vigilant, all of his senses sharp. After all he was the only one with full strength present in the room, and she could see that he knew this.

She did not feel exactly weak, but her senses were not as sharp at the moment, and she knew her reflexes would not be as quick. Arahaelon was in the worst position, and she felt a new wave of fear consume her as she understood that he would not be able to rise from his bed if anything were to happen. She only prayed nothing would.

She felt shocked, stunned by the sudden force of the attack. It had been so quick, lasting only a second. To many questions dashed through her mind and now more than more than ever she wanted to understand what was happening. The thoughtful and worried expression on her brothers eyes told her that neither one of them had a clue. The gates had been suddenly released. Had it been intentional? Or had the King's strength finally reached its end?

The air felt heavy, tensed, Vilya's soft whisper's still floating in the gentle breeze, like a haunted song in a strange language. The forest outside had gone completely still. Too still. The trees were not silent, but their melody was no longer the same soothing lullaby that had lulled into peacefulness only some minutes ago. Somehow it felt different now. It felt hollow, the gracious voices now deeper, penetrating.

She turned her head to see if Arahaelon had noticed the difference, but the Crown Prince's pensive eyes did not lift to meet hers, deep emerald irises alert, concentrated.

"Where is Ada?" The Crown Prince's voice broke the silence. Even though the sound was still noticeably weak and low, there was undeniable authority imbedded in the serene tone. He might have been the injured one, but there was no doubt he was still the eldest brother.

"I do not know exactly." Tadion answered immediately, rising from the chair to sit at the edge of bed. "He left some hours ago with Doronor. Ar, did Ada release the gates on purpose?"

Tadion's clear blue eyes looked into his brother's intently, the weight of the question swirling in his infinite irises. The Crown Prince closed his eyes for a moment, his face as calmed and handsome as ever, looking so regal and noble, even as he leaned heavily on the pillows. Silence swallowed the room for short seconds before Arahaelon finally opened his eyes again, focused on his younger brother's expectant face.

"I do not know. I cannot tell."

She could perfectly understand the words, and yet there seemed to be some other meaning buried in them. Confusion took hold of her as she saw a new concern gleaming in Tadion's clear blue eyes, something that resembled more like a strange mixture of fear and disbelief. She chose to remain silent, distantly observing the long stare the two brother's exchanged.

"What?" Tadion finally seemed able to find his words, his face looking as if his brother had spoken in a different language. "What do you mean you cannot tell."

The edge of worry that tainted her brother's voice was easily recognizable, his now alert eyes searching into the Crown Prince's emerald ones again. Arahaelon's expression did not change, completely serene, completely open, his eyes for the first time looking entirely transparent.

"I cannot tell."

"Are you sure?" Tadion's eyes appeared to be more alarmed than ever, searching into his brother's face over and over again. She did not know what was happening, had no clue what they were talking about. "Ar, you are always able to tell. I know you can perceive things more easily and quickly than me. You can hear and feel things that I cannot. You are always able to tell if there is a sudden change in Ada's powers."

The young Prince's eyes were demanding, pressuring, not seeming to understand what his older brother was telling him. Tadion's words hit her like a brick wall. So Arahaelon could also perceive things in a similar way to how she perceived them. His spirit was also sensitive to other forces. But then again, he had not seemed to be affected by the attack at all. And nonetheless she had seen in his powerful eyes that he had immediately known what was happening. Had he felt it happening without being pulled into it? Could he also hear the blue stoned ring whispering dully into the wind?

Her heart skipped a beat inside her chest and she shook those thoughts from her head, forcing her concentration once again on her two older brothers. Arahaelon's face remained entirely calmed, his transparent and honest eyes staring deeply into his younger brother's anxious ones.

"Tadion." The simple word exuded a hard command, even in its soft soothing tone. One of the Crown Prince's hands traveled to rest on his younger brother's arm, piercing emerald eyes looking serious now, and yet gentle, forcing the younger Prince into reasoning. "Not now. I cannot tell anything right now."

The moment Arahaelon's hand touched his arm, Tadion's tensed body visibly relax, his eyes resembling those of an elfling staring at his older brother. Understanding drowned the Prince's clear blue eyes as he took in his brother's state. He did not seem willing to believe that his brother could experience this kind of weakness. She did not need hear it to know that the Crown Prince's senses were far from strong.

"Forgive me, Ar." Tadion shook his head slightly, his eyes looking apologetically now. She recognized the look in his eyes. It was the same look she had seen in Elrohir's eyes as he had stared at Elladan when he had been injured on their way to Mirkwood. "You just try to rest."

A soft smile appeared on the Crown Prince's face as he stared up at his younger brother, his hand never leaving the latter's arm.

"There is nothing to forgive, little brother." The way in which Arahaelon's powerful eyes gazed reassuringly at his younger brother made her once again wish she had grown up next them.

Tadion simply smiled in return, not adding anything else. Her green eyes focused on her eldest brother's as he suddenly turned to look at her.

"Are youall right?" The Crown Prince's voice addressed her in the same gentle way in which he had addressed his younger brother.

"Yes." She answered truthfully, unable to look away from Arahaelon's melted emerald eyes.

"Can _you _tell what happened?" Green eyes stared at her deeply, saying more than what words could. "I know that whatever you felt Ada most probably felt it too. Can you tell what attacked you?"

She could not find an answer to those questions, her eyes fixed on her eldest brother's powerful green ones. Know what had attacked her?

"It is all right" Arahaelon added quickly, his other hand also travelling to rest on her arm. Somehow the simply gesture made a large part of her anxiety die down. "I am not expecting you to know. I just wanted to hear if you could tell or not."

Slowly she shook her head, suddenly feeling like a failure and she was greatly thankful that Arahaelon simply nodded his head in return, not looking disappointed in the slightest. Tadion had remained entirely silent, clear blue eyes watching attentively.

"Tell exactly what? Ar, how am I supposed to know what attacked me?" Whether it was the welcoming and open look in his green eyes or the peaceful expression on his handsome face what gave her the courage to ask, she could not tell.

"What did you call me?" A smirk gleamed on his face, mirroring the sudden sparkle on his green eyes. Her mind went blank at his sudden and unexpected question, playing her words again inside her head.

"I am sorry." She said quickly, although she did not even know why she was apologizing, speaking mostly out of nerves. Her eyes suddenly widened, not knowing how to take his question. "I have heard you being called that way so many times before that it slipped. Was it wrong?"

The Crown Prince's expression did not change; in fact she was not even sure he had listened to her. Forest green eyes stared deeply into hers, sparkling with a different light, so vivid, the mocking smirk never abandoning his face. Suddenly he resembled Tadion more than ever before.

"No." Penetrating green eyes swallowed her as he spoke. "I like it."

"You did not answer my question." She pointed out, unable to hide a smile at her eldest brother's words. "How am I to know what attacked me? How would you be able to tell if there was a change in Ada's powers? What is Tadion talking about?"

"I do not expect you to know what attacked you, _Rëa_. You do not mind if I call you that way, do you?" His emerald eyes sparkled faintly as he pronounced her shortened name. He phrased as a question but it was more of a statement. He did not wait for an answer from her part before continuing speaking. "And I did not believe you would yet be able to tell the difference on what you feel either. That takes time. Some things you have perceived many times before and you recognize them, but before you learn how to do so everything feels mostly the same…confusing."

She raised a questioning eyebrow and the Crown Prince let out a light laugh at her obvious puzzlement. She liked the sound of his laughter. It made the hollow air around her feel lighter. Arahaelon let out a sigh, his green eyes lighting with a new idea as he searched for another way of explaining things to her.

"Think about it as a string ball."

"Now you lost me." She chuckled, and Tadion's laughter suddenly roared inside the peaceful chambers. The Crown Prince turned to glare at his brother, although the smile on his face told her that he was not really angry.

"I am not explaining anything to _you_." Then Arahaelon's eyes focused on hers once more. "Yes, a string ball. Except that this one is composed of many many strings. Now, each of these strings is a different thing, a different force, all of which you perceive simultaneously. When one of them changes, you notice. When one of them pulls you to it, you notice. It is only about being able to trace which string is the one pulling you. Or in this case, being able to recognize the force that is attacking you.

I am not sure of how deeply you can perceive these forces, but definitely deep enough to connect to them and let them act through you. Once you are able to distinguish one of them, to find that exact string among the rest, then you can easily find it again if you wish to, because you know how that one feel like exactly. You can search for it in the same way that is searches for you. Me, I can only perceive these forces, I know where they are, what they are and if they change. But you can actually use them, connect to them. You are very powerful, Rëa. And that is what scares Ada the most. It is both a great power and a great danger."

Penetrating forest green eyes stared into hers, the seriousness of his words downing on her. She remembered the King giving her an explanation like this one some nights ago. She remembered him mentioning that her spirit was so sensitive to other living forces to the point where they connected to her as one of their own, the same essence and not a different being. And yet, hearing that there was a way of distinguishing these forces and tracing them individually made everything both easier to understand and at the same time seem harder to achieve.

"How do you know I can use them?" She never knew from where the question came from as she stared back into her brother's powerful green eyes.

"Because I have seen you do so." His melted emerald eyes were completely open, so many different thoughts and memories swirling powerfully in their consuming vastness. "Once."

The Crown Prince moved to sit up straight on the bed, but his eyes shut tightly as his face scrunched in pain once more, falling back against the headboard as his hands flew once again to his side, breathing heavily.

"Ar, that is enough." Tadion cut in suddenly, all trace of his previous laughter erased from his clear blue eyes. "You need to rest. You still have a fever, and it will be some hours before the antidote becomes aggressive, so you better rest now. There is nothing anyone here can do for the moment."

The young Prince's voice was gentle and overly concerned, but his eyes gave away his despair for information and she could tell that he probable felt as useless as she did at the moment. Taking that as the end of the conversation, she rose from the bed to refill the empty glass before carefully handing it back to her eldest brother's waiting hands. She gave him a half-hearted smile and he returned the gesture before slowly sipping from the water.

"Feel better." She said softy as she rose from the bed before turning to look at Tadion, reading in his eyes and smile that he would be staying to watch over his eldest brother.

"Do not wonder through the Palace alone." Tadion called softly after her as she reached the door, and she threw one last smile in his direction, nodding her head before exiting the elegant chambers.

The bright light in the hallway hit her face in major contrast to the soothing darkness that filled Arahaelon's chambers and for a second she had to squint as her eyes slowly adjusted to the change. She could still see guards everywhere. They seemed to be in ever corner and corridor of the Palace's Private Quarters, most probably one of the reasons why Tadion had not been too concern about her leaving the chambers on her own.

"_Rina, are you all right? What happened?" _ Her heart melted at the sound of Elladan's voice dancing inside her head, feeling him entirely through their bond. He had felt the attack, she was sure of it.

"_Yes."_ She answered, unable to hide a smile form her face at the sole sound of his voice, even if it had only been in her mind. _"Another attack. I am fine though. Do not worry. Where are you?" _

She felt slightly idiotic telling him not to worry. She knew he would worry no matter what she said. Her only reassurance was the he could feel through their bond that she was indeed fine.

"_My chambers with Ro."_ She smiled again, glad that he had dropped the subject of the attack for the time being.

"_I am coming."_

However, before she could move, one of the five doors that lined the majestic hallway opened softly, and the smile widened on her face as she saw Legolas emerging through it. Her brother's infinite blue eyes found hers easily and he walked in her direction, loose light blond hair framing perfectly his handsome face.

"Where have you been?" She asked him as she reached her side, trying her best to ignore the tide of guards lined to the walls. The ones that passed them by would bow their heads slightly muttering a low 'Your Majesties' in the process. She would never get used to her new title.

"With Lossie. She is asleep." He signaled in the direction of the door he had just exited and she nodded in understanding. "Where are you headed?"

The simple presence of her brother next to her made her heart feel at peace, even in the hectic and tensed aura of the palace.

"To where the twins are." Legolas wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leaned closer to him, feeling safe next to her older brother.

"I will go with you."

She smiled in return and they started their slow march down the seemingly endless hallway. She could still hear Vilya whispering softly into the air, accompanied by the seemingly hollow melody of the singing trees outside.

"How is Arahaelon?" She could hear the true concern in his gentle voice as he spoke. That was a tough question to answer.

"Better, but still far from well." She answered truthfully, knowing that he could read the answer in her apologetic eyes no matter what she said.

He seemed to accept that as an answer, for he simply nodded his head. They reached Elladan's chambers sooner than she had thought, Legolas opening the door and letting her in first before entering the large room. Mirror images sat on the large bed, two pairs of identical liquid silver eyes turning in their direction as they heard them enter the piece.

"Here comes the bride." Elrohir's mischievous eyes mirrored his wide grin as he openly teased her. Whether the shimmering gleam in his silver eyes was simply to playfully mock her or real joy, she could not tell. Nonetheless, his seemingly carefree attitude and sparkling silver eyes made everything else seem unimportant.

"Good evening to you too, Ro." She laughed slightly as she spoke, her attention quickly stolen from the younger twin as her eyes fell on Elladan's endless silver ones.

The elder twin had risen from the bed, and she willingly walked into his open arms, not able to look away from his liquid silver eyes. His sole presence next to her made her heart melt, her entire self feeling completely at peace as his arms wrapped securely around her body. Elladan pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss, making Elrohir and Legolas disappear momentarily from her mind. The Palace could fall to pieces around he for all she cared.

"Bride?" She heard Legolas asking with a raised eyebrow, trying hard to hide the grin from his face, infinite eyes darting from Elladan to her.

"_My_ bride." Elladan clarified, his liquid silver eyes not leaving hers as he answered the Prince's question, a gorgeous sparkle shimmering in his endless eyes and playful grin, looking at her lovingly. He placed an exaggerated kiss on her cheek as he spoke as if to mock Legolas and she let out a laugh in return.

Her brother's eyes kept looking at her accusingly, although the wide grin on his face betrayed his emotions. Instead of saying anything else, she simply held out her left hand, showing the gorgeous ring for Legolas to see. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elrohir staring at them, a true smile on his face as he looked as his twin.

"Congratulations." Legolas said, the joyful gleam in his infinite blue eyes letting her know just how much he meant that. She knew that out of her siblings, it was Legolas the one who knew the depth of the bond she shared with Elladan.

"Does Tadion know?" The tone of Legolas' voice was teasing now, trying not to laugh as his eyes turned to look at Elladan. Elrohir's musical chuckles filled the room, and she could not help but laugh along.

"I do not think so." She was the one to answer, after all Tadion had not mentioned anything to her yet. Elladan's arms traveled to her waist as she turned in his arms in order to face her brother, her back against Elladan's chest as the latter rested his chin on her small shoulder.

"Oh, he does." Elladan's musical voice sounded in her ear, liquid silver eyes looking directly at Legolas, a victorious grin brightening his handsome face. "He glares at me every chance he gets. He is just choosing to ignore it, pretending like we are not engaged."

Legolas' sweet laugh joined Elrohir's, making the empty and anxious night suddenly feel like any other one, the latest mind attack, her chocking, Arahaelon's poisoning, and the newly opened gates suddenly feeling so far away, like a distant reality. And yet she knew that those events still haunted all of their minds.

She felt Elladan's hand slide down to grab hers, slender fingers entwining with hers, and suddenly that was all she needed, to feel her hand in his.

"Did you sleep, my love?" He whispered softly in her ear, his lips lightly brushing her skin and making shivers run down her spine. His voice was serious now, concerned.

"A little, yes." She answered honestly, feeling the hand around her waist pulling her closer to him. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Legolas sitting down on the bed next to Elrohir, starting a conversation of their own.

"That attack took a great deal of your strength." He nuzzled his nose against her neck as he spoke, the worry in his voice easily hearable.

She did not say anything in return. There was no point in denying it, she knew he could feel it trough their bond. He was worried, she could tell, but he was also relieved that this attack had not been like the others. Elladan placed a gentle kiss to the side of her neck, then placed another one on her cheek before resting his chin once again on her shoulder.

"Do you want to sleep some more?"

She turned around in his arms to look into his liquid silver eyes, placing her good hand around his neck, while she kept her broken one close to her body.

"No." Was her reply as she placed a light kiss to his cheek before resting her head over his collarbone, feeling his hand absently toying with her hair at her back.

"How is Arahaelon doing?" He changed the subject, leaning his head to gaze into her eyes as he spoke.

"Better, but not well." She repeated the answer she had given Legolas only some minutes ago. "At least he was awake and talking for a while."

"What did you talk about?" She felt his lips pressing to her temple, his voice sounding gentle, completely light. She let out a faint chuckle, trying to find a way to answer that question.

"String balls."

Elladan's sweet laughter rang in her ear, and she could not contain another chuckle. She felt his hold around her tighten, and she could tell his eyes were carefully examining her. He already knew all she knew about her powers, she had told him everything her father had explained to her.

"Perhaps you should sit down." He whispered to her as he gently led her towards some cushioned seats outside in the balcony. She did not really feel like she needed to sit down, but knew that it would make Elladan feel more at peace if she did. Besides, she could tell that he was exhausted too. Unlike her, he had not slept a single minute since her chocking the night before. He sat down on one of the comfortable seats, and pulled her down to sit on his lap, even though there were plenty of empty chairs in the room.

"Have you rested at all?" She said in a barely audible voice, although she already knew the answer to that question, one of her hands softly placing a strand of dark hair behind his pointed ear.

"No." His mischievous silver eyes looked sheepishly at her, looking like an elfling who refused to go to bed at the indicated hour. "I am not tired." He placed another kiss to her lips, ignoring the fact that both Legolas and Elrohir were still in the room.

She leaned back against his chest, burying her face in her favorite place: the crook of his neck. She felt his hands gently placing her broken hand safely against her chest before both of his arms wrapped securely around her. And even though she was cradled in his arms, she could tell that this time she was the one calming him. None of them knew what was happening outside. All they could do was wait.

"Do you know what day it is tomorrow?" He asked in her ear, a gorgeous playful grin illuminating his handsome face. She let out a small chuckle, placing a kiss on his neck before lifting her face to drown in his sparkling silver eyes.

"What day is it tomorrow?" She asked in return, knowing already that he wanted precisely for her to ask him that question.

"It is the day of my birth." He whispered proudly in her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin there. She felt her eyes widen at his unexpected answer, a smile drawing on her face as she turned her head to look better into his silver eyes. A dashing grin adorned his handsome face, lighting his eyes with their natural sparkle. He took advantage of her closeness to quickly kiss the tip of her nose.

"Is it really?" She could not contain her smile, even though her eyes searched his for any signs of a joke in them.

"Yes, it is." His forehead was resting against hers and she could feel her own smile mirroring his.

She did not know exactly why, but a tiny part of her felt sad to hear this news. Growing up among men, birthdays had always been an occasion that merited a celebration. She had celebrated all of her birthdays with her adoptive mother, even thought she now knew that the date she had been celebrating all her life was not even her real birth date. She knew elves did not celebrate birthdays, but somehow, hearing that it was to be _his _birthday while everything around them seemed to be going upside down just did not seem fair.

"But I believed elves did not celebrate birthdays." She teased him, managing to get a soft chuckle out of him.

"We do not. But that does not mean that we do not remember when they are." Now it was her turn to chuckle, settling back down against his chest.

"And how old will you be tomorrow?" He narrowed his eyes at her, as if telling her he would not answer that question, and still the grin on his face told her he would. He would answer any question she asked him if he knew how to.

"Two thousand eight hundred and two." He pronounced each word slowly, his mischievous eyes staring at her adoringly. She felt her eyes widen at the number as she let out a small laugh. She had known he was close to three thousand years of age, but somehow hearing the exact number out loud made it seem more real.

"And how do you usually spend you birthdays?"

"Usually, I do nothing out of the ordinary. It is just another day." He said softly as she laid her head back down on his collarbone. His tone had dropped to a whisper she knew no one but her would be able to hear "But tomorrow I plan to spend it with this lady I met."

"This lady you met?" She raised a teasing eyebrow, failing in her attempt to hide her smile from her face. "Well you must certainly tell me about her."

Elladan's hold around her tightened and she felt him resting his head atop hers, slender fingers playing with the ends of her hair. She was already about to chuckle, knowing that he would choose to say something to tease her, like mentioning that she had hit him in one occasion or that she had once thrown the door in his face, and found herself utterly stunned when he did not. And yet what stunned her most was sound of his voice, so honest and gentle.

"Well, to start, she is the most beautiful lady in Arda. She has long golden hair and the most gorgeous forest green eyes, and when she smiles they light up like stars. At times, her eyes can be so hard to read, carefully observing everything around her, taking in even the smallest detail. And others they are so deep and warm, so bright. She is very strong, nothing seems capable of breaking her, she always pulls through. She is also very fond of strawberries, but I have noticed she does not like almonds."

She let out a light chuckle at the last part, letting herself free fall into his endless silver eyes. His smiled mirrored hers, and there was not a hint of mockery in his loving eyes.

"Did I mention she owned a duck?" his silver eyes narrowed at the last part, glittering with a new sparkle, his smile widening.

"Did she?" She laughed lightly as she spoke, feeling herself drowning in the safety of his eyes.

"Yes." He whispered, grinning as if he was sharing an important secret. "And you want to know the best part?"

"What is the best part?" His lips brushed hers as he spoke and she fought hard not to simply seal the small gap in a kiss. He leaned closer to her, his lips at her ear now before he whispered in the lowest of voices.

"She loves me."

That made it. She pressed her lips to his in a long kiss and he kissed her back, the Palace and all of the troubles around them disappearing suddenly. Once they broke apart she rested her head back on the crook of his neck, feeling him rest his own her atop hers.

She did not know how much time it passed. Minutes? Hours? She simply sat comfortably on Elladan's lap, waiting for she did not know what. After some time she had felt his head fall more heavily over hers, the arms wrapped tightly around her loosing their strength as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

He only woke when a loud knock on the door echoed through the room, both of them turning their heads to look, their eyes following Elrohir as he stood up to open it. An elf she had never seen before stood on the doorway, a guard by the look of his attire. Unconsciously, she rose from Elladan's lap, the latter standing up next to her, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and leading her back inside the room, choosing to stand next to Legolas.

"My Lords, My Lady." The guard bowed his head respectfully. "His majesty requests your presence in his study." His eyes looked at them one by one as he spoke.

"Thank you. We will be right there." Legolas was the one to answer, incredibly regal and handsome, looking every inch like the Prince he was. Even in his polite and calmed form, she did not miss the confused look that flashed through his infinite blue eyes, the same look that she knew painted all of their eyes at the moment.

The guard nodded his head, stepping aside as Legolas led the way out of the warm chambers. Elladan's arm rested lightly on her back, and she found herself walking in between the twins as they made their way through the majestic corridors of the Palace. None of them spoke as they walked, the walls of the Palace suddenly seeming taller, the hallways longer.

They reached the King's office before she could even realize it, and she felt a new pang of nerves and anxiety as the large pair of doors were gently opened for them to enter. She did not know what she had been expecting to see, what she had been imagining would be the reason the King had sent for them, but it was definitely not the sight that met her eyes.

The Elvenking sat in the cushioned seat closest to the roaring fire in the elegant room, two other elves hovering around him. His ice blue eyes looked as powerful and penetrating as ever, and his posture as royal and serene, but over all that, he looked tired, utterly and completely drained. For a split second she doubted that he would be able stand on is feet. The attack had affected him more than it had her.

She recognized one the elves as Melnor, who was now handing his King a cup with a steaming liquid. She did not know how he did it, but the healer seemed to be everywhere. Nonetheless, she was happy for his presence in the room. Whatever it was that had befallen the King, the healer certainly knew how to treat it. The other elf was Doronor, standing securely close to his King.

And yet, it was none of these things what made her heart stop beating and her feet freeze to the exquisite carpet. Standing some distance away from the King was another tall figure. His deep blue cloak reflected the dancing flames oddly, the color resembling that of a night sky, the silver thread of the intricate embroidery at its bottom shimmering beautifully. Long dark hair fell elegantly over his shoulders and back in neat, perfect braids, framing his ageless pale face. Wise and kind silver eyes looked at each of them as they entered the room, quickly falling on two pairs of equal silver, and a fascinating blue stoned ring glowed dimly upon his finger, whispering softly into the breeze…

Here is chapter 18! I hope you enjoy it! And please let me know what you think!

Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, you all made my day a little brighter: Coco99, dingdongsong, Danda225, Jibril, Martine9295, CalathielKat, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Mary Elrondile, Paperlanterns86, wonderpanda10, booklover1598, and AmazingWriter123.

Love,

Elena


	19. Ticking Clocks

She blinked a couple of times, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Elladan's hand on her back felt like the only thing keeping her attached to reality. She felt a knot in her stomach, her body suddenly feeling frozen next to Elladan. Lord Elrond was standing right in front of her, in Mirkwood, looking as regal and wise as ever. She could not help but feel small once again as she felt the powerful aura that seemed to surround the Elf-Lord wherever he went.

And yet, the moment his kind silver eyes met hers briefly, a wave of peace washed over her, silver irises easily piercing into hers, so wise and powerful, the knowledge of many millennia concealed in them. She felt safe looking at this familiar renowned figure, and for the first time she realized that she had missed him. The stare only lasted a second, for the Elf-Lord's eyes quickly shifted to look at each of his sons.

"Ada?" Elrohir was the first one to speak, moving at a quick pace to where the Elf-Lord stood. She would have stayed right where she was except for Elladan's hand on her back, which kept her moving as he joined his twin.

"My sons." Lord Elrond's voice was as peaceful and deep as ever, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he greeted his sons. The Elf-Lord opened his arms and received one twin in each of them.

Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed that Legolas had crossed the room in long strides, kneeling in front of the Elvenking. She let her eyes wonder about the room, and for the first time noticed another figure standing unnoticed on the back of the room. Her lips curved up in a small smile at the familiar sight of the golden haired warrior quietly watching his Lord. Glorfindel's eyes met hers, and he nodded his head slightly in greeting. He did not say a single word, but she noticed the faint smile that appeared on his handsome face with the gesture.

"Almarëa." Her eyes turned back to meet the Elf-Lord's kind silver ones at the sound of her name. It felt strange to hear him calling her by that name; after all she had still been Elerrina while in Imladris. A soft smile adorned his ageless face as he nodded his head in greeting.

She felt her smile widen at the gesture, and before she knew it she was also walking into the Elf-Lord's welcoming arms, feeling the rich fabric of his cloak against her cheek. And for a moment, she felt as if she was still in Imladris, under the protection of this powerful Elf. The embrace was brief, just as the other greetings had been. It seemed that no elf in the room was in the mood for long displays of affection at the moment.

The dancing fire seemed to provide no warmth at all, its red flames casting haunting shadows on the elegant study. Even the cool night breeze that entered through the balcony seemed empty, caressing her skin like threating claws, slowly brushing her strands of golden hair, the echo of the trees faintly carried in its cold grasp.

Elladan had returned to her side, one arm loosely wrapped around her shoulders. The Elf-Lord's eyes lowered to her left hand for a second, and she felt her insides twisting with nerves, suddenly very aware of the precious ring she carried on her third finger. Silver eyes lifted from her hand, staring at her for a fragment of a second before turning to look at Elladan, a dark eyebrow arched questioningly. The faintest of smile appeared on the Elf-Lord's face as he stared at his son, so faint that she was not sure if she had imagined it.

Next to her, Elladan nodded his head, answering the question that had never been spoken, a bright smile reflecting the sparkle in his endless silver eyes. All of her nerves vanished suddenly as the Elf-Lord's lips curved up in a wide smile, silver eyes beaming with joy.

"May I?" Lord Elrond's eyes turned to met hers, the smile never leaving his face as he spoke. He held one had out, every movement incredibly gentle and graceful, and she understood in his eyes that he meant to see the ring.

She immediately lifter her hand for him to take, her smile only widening in the process, feeling Elladan's arm travelling to her waist as the Elf-Lord's eyes carefully studied the gorgeous ring. Out of the corner of her eyes she could feel the King's eyes staring at the exchange, their expression unreadable. After a moment, Lord Elrond let go her hand, joyful eyes lifting to pierce hers.

Everything about the Elf-Lord's smile was different. It was not the polite and kind smile he usually presented. No. This one seemed to reach his eyes, completely natural and unguarded. It was not the diplomatic smile of the Lord of Imladris, but the proud smile of a father. It was a smile she knew rarely anyone got a chance to see.

"I wonder how did that son of mine managed to get a hold of you." The Elf-Lord commented, silver eyes staring affectionately at her before traveling to his son, their eyes locking in silent interchange of words. Even though his word's and expression teased his firstborn son, she did not miss the shimmering pride that shone in Lord Elrond's eyes as he stared at his son.

"I wonder the same thing."

All pairs of eyes turned in the direction of the King at the unexpected sound of his serene voice. There was no indication in his voices that he was joking, and his ice blue eyes pierced Elladan fiercely, although there was no aggression or coldness in his gentle tone. Deep inside his powerful ice blue eyes gleam the faintest spark of approval, drowning in a strange mixture of joy and sorrow.

Next to her father, Legolas was trying hard to suppress his laughter, and she directed a failed glare in his direction, not able to hide a smile at his beaming infinite blue eyes. Lord Elrond, on the other hand, acted as if he had not heard the King, although the way in which his lips twitched upwards told her he perfectly had. Behind the King, Doronor had remained perfectly still, as if he was not interested in anything that just been said, dark blue eyes fixed on his visibly exhausted King.

"Ada, what happened?" Legolas asked in a gentle voice, making the King's ice blue eyes turn in his direction.

Slowly she made her way to one of the seats in front of the King, Elladan sitting next to her on the armrest while Elrohir took the seat to her other side. Her father's piercing ice blue eyes met hers, silently swallowing her in their powerful stare. He had also felt the attack.

"Spiders roam too close to the borders. They seem to be larger in number, and they behave strangely, as if something was controlling them. It seemed unnatural." The King's eyes fell closed as he took a deep breath, lifting two fingers to massage his temple, as if attempting to relieve a pounding headache. "There are patrols running the entire perimeter at this moment."

"What about the attacks on your children?" Lord Elrond's silver eyes looked directly at the Elvenking as he walked to the seat in front of Elrohir, Glorfindel moving to stand behind his lord. "You say it was orchestrated by elves?"

"I ignore who orchestrated those attacks. But it was indeed elves." The King's voice remained as serene as before, cold and composed, impenetrable eyes fixed on the Elf-Lord's silver ones.

A cold shiver ran down her spine and one of her hands traveled involuntarily to her neck as the terrifying memories of the hand choking her flashed through her mind. She felt Elladan's hand on her back rub a small circle, although his silver eyes remained fixed on the King, waiting for him to continue.

"The attacks were not separate, Elrond. They were very much part of the same plan." The King's ice blue eyes did not look away from Lord Elrond, and for a moment she felt that she was merely a listener to the conversation between these two powerful rulers.

"Arahaelon returns from a patrol injured one morning, and that following night someone tries to choke Almarëa. For all I knew, Arahaelon's injury could have been an accident. It looked like one. A spider attacks without warning and he gets caught in the middle. It seemed very unlikely, my son is not one to be caught off guard and I certainly cannot remember the last time he returned injured from a patrol, but it seemed believable. Until Melnor discovered poison in the wound, only some hours after the attack on Almarëa. Only two of my children were attacked, Elrond, only two: my eldest and my youngest. And you know very well what it is that they have in common."

"And still the attack on your son was subtle, it aroused no suspicions whatsoever until the poison was found. Your daughter's case was different. It was entirely straightforward. Both of the attacks aimed at different reactions but the same result. I presume your son is still in bed, am I wrong?"

"Yes, he is." She was slightly surprised to hear Legolas' voice answering the Elf-Lord. His now wary and alert infinite blue eyes let it clear that he had quickly picked up on what Lord Elrond meant to say. "Arahaelon is ruled out of battle, if that were to be the case. But that was probably not the aim of the attack was it? It makes no sense to only make Arahaelon unable to join battle. Why not Tadion then? He is as good with the sword as Ar. They wanted to blur Arahaelon's senses. By weakening him, they weakened his senses, he is not able to discern if anything changes now, if there are any warnings of danger."

She felt her body freeze as images of the Crown Prince lying tiredly on his bed crossed her mind. She remembered Tadion asking him to feel what had changed when the gates had been released, remembered the alarmed look on his clear blue eyes as Arahaelon stated that he could not feel anything.

"I am very well aware of that." The Elvenking closed his eyes as he said in a low voice. "I am also aware that Almarëa is not yet able to distinguish between what she perceives. Her attack was not meant to weaken her senses, there was no point in physically weakening her. I believe it was meant to frighten her, shake her enough to keep her out of noticing anything."

If the King was right in his assumption then she was sure the attackers had very well succeeded. She was scared.

"Fear is a powerful weapon." Her father's ice blue eyes met hers, pulling her like magnets into their powerful depths. "It creates doubt. It confuses you, can make you loose control. There is no way of blocking you from perceiving things, your senses run too deeply. But you need to be in complete control of your mind and body if you were to use these forces you feel, and you would need to be able to recognize them. You are still unpredictable, you only respond to what you perceive, being pulled or pushed from these forces, but it is still out of your control."

"So that would be the aim of the attack on her. To ensure that she stays out of control." Lord Elrond's peaceful voice echoed through the room, settling everything into silence as her father's ice blue eyes turned in his direction. She could feel Doronor's dark blue eyes fixed on her from behind his King, watching her intently.

"Whoever is behind this is someone who knows what Arahaelon and Almarëa can do." Legolas wary eyes darted from his father to the Elf-Lord, waiting for a confirmation on his assumption.

"And has to know something else." The Elf-Lord's piercing silver eyes turned to look at the King, grey meeting blue in a long silent stare, communicating a message she could not read.

The Elvenking sighed as he lowered his eyes, slowly rising to his feet. Doronor's hand immediately shot up to the King's arm, ready to steady him should he falter, but her father seemed perfectly stable on his feet. Without even turning to look at his advisor, the Elvenking made his way towards the ample balcony, leaning heavily on the railing as he looked out at the expanding forest. His long light blond hair looked silvery under the pale moonlight, and for a second he resembled a stone statue, perfectly carved and forever bounded to its place.

It seemed like an eternity before the King finally turned around, impenetrable ice blue eyes turning to look directly at the Elf-Lord.

"Why are you here, Elrond?" There was no warmth in his voice, but it was not cold either. It was perfectly composed, guarded, and entirely serene, so low and yet so powerful.

The Elf-Lord's wise silver eyes did not hesitate as he stared deeply into the King, his face not giving away any emotion. There was no sign of aggression in either of their eyes, both looking as powerful and regal as ever. And yet, as the Elf-Lord rose from his seat and peacefully walked towards the balcony, she could not help but notice how alike and at the same time how different both rulers were.

Lord Elrond seemed steady, a powerful, kind figure, standing tall and regal. His authority seemed to come from his stoic peaceful presence, the patience in his eyes seeming to be endless, like a tall tower that would not crumble. King Thranduil, on the other hand looked weightless, perfectly serene, each and every one of his movements seeming effortless and vaporous. And still his authority seemed to be held in his impenetrable iced eyes, in the way that he seemed to have no need to raise his voice from a mere cold and serene whisper for his command to be obeyed.

"Did you not read my letter?" Came Lord Elrond's reply, kind eyes looking as silver as the Moon in the dark sky above. "The eye is no longer fixed on Imladris. Sauron is searching for the rings, Thranduil. The Nazgul are once again roaming through the lands."

The Elvenking did not answer immediately, once again turning to face the dark forest below. She felt another shudder run through her body at the memory of the ghostlike faceless figures riding through the night, seeming to suck away the very life out of things with their deadly grip. Elladan's hand on her back traveled to rest on her shoulder and she leaned closer to him, resting her arm on his lap. Doronor's eyes were still fixed on her, dark blue irises watchful, steady. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elrohir and Glorfindel exchanging a look, but she did not pay attention to it, fixing her eyes on her father instead.

"There is once again movement beyond the south gate." The King's voice was low, but she could still hear it perfectly, his ice blue eyes not turning to look at the Elf-Lord as he spoke. "In Dol Guldur."

Elladan's grip on her shoulder tensed and she felt the blood drained from her face at the mention of the dark fortress established at the far south end of the forests of Mirkwood.

"Dol Guldur has not been empty for years now." Lord Elrond added just as Glorfindel also walked to the balcony, standing close to his Lord.

"No it has not." The King turned to face the Elf-Lord as he spoke, his ice blue eyes as unreadable an powerful as ever. "But whatever resides in there had given no indications of being alive and awake. I do not dare get any closer. The darkness is getting stronger there. It caught me off guard earlier, but I was able to pull away quickly enough as to not be seen or noticed."

"Doronor, could you guard the door please?" The King did not look at his advisor as he spoke, and a second later she saw the elegant blond elf gracefully walking out of the room, standing at the other side of the closing door.

Her heart felt as if it had stopped beating inside her chest as she realized that the King was talking about the mind attack she had previously felt. So it had not been an intentional attack, the attacker had probably not even noticed, if the King's words were true. And it had not meant to be directed at her, it had been her father the one to receive the full blow of the unexpected encounter with this dark force, not her. The King's voice had dropped to slow hiss, ice blue eyes locked on the Elf-Lord's piercing silver ones.

"It is already hard enough to keep the darkness at bay. If the eye chooses to focus on Mirkwood, that is a darkness I cannot fight." The King had walked closer to the Elf-Lord as he spoke, both looking incredibly tall and regal, silver and ice clashing together in a hard, penetrating stare.

"And yet you know what will happen if the eye accidentally finds your daughter. Its pull is too strong to ignore, Thranduil. If the eyes sees her, he will instantly believe she has a ring, he has done so before, only that she has been lucky enough to not have yet been seen, only perceived." Lord Elrond's voice remained as peaceful as before, but his steely eyes did not soften, as if stressing the burden of his words.

"And how does bringing that ring of yours make things better?" The King's low hiss was met by a heavy silence, neither of the ruler's looking away from the other. Ice blue eyes pierced the Elf-Lord's powerful silver ones, and yet it was not anger what burned in her father's eyes but despair.

The King did not wait for an answer as he turned to face the forest again, leaning heavily on the delicate railing. Lord Elrond gave no indication of surprise or shock at the open mention of Vilya. To her relief, the King's voice had been low enough that she had barely heard them, letting her know for sure that no one outside the study had caught them.

"It makes no difference." Lord Elrond's voice was calmed as he spoke, not moving an inch from his spot. "The eye has already felt Vilya's power, and it is desperately searching for it. The last time if felt Vilya it perceived her presence too, and it is looking for her, but it does not know where to look. If he finds your daughter in his search, he can feel the ring through her, and it will lead him to believe she has it, and once it sees her it will have a face to look for, there will be no going back, and you know that, Thranduil."

The Elvenking did not respond, in fact he gave no indication that he had even heard a word the Elf-Lord had said. He remained completely still, leaning heavily on the thin silvery railing.

"Thranduil, sit down before you collapse." Lord Elrond's voice was soft and yet the command is his tone was hardly missed by anyone. The King turned to face the dark haired Elf-Lord, a delicate eyebrow raised questioningly. Nonetheless, her father did not comment, slowly walking back inside the study and lowering himself on the seat he had previously occupied. The tension between the rulers seemed to have easily vanished, and she could see they were close friends.

A hollow silence had once again settled over the elegant study, the words of the last conversation still hanging threateningly in the air. She did not move, her sight seeming to be lost on nothingness. The twin's silver eyes were locked in a long stare, a silent conversation no doubt taking place inside their minds. She absently noticed Legolas sitting down next to his father, on the armrest. The conversation had reached an end for the moment, neither Elrond nor Thranduil seeming to know how to act next.

"You try to get some sleep, my daughter." The King's ice blue eyes met hers easily, suddenly gentle and open, and for a second she was tempted to argue that he too should get some sleep. And still there was something else in his gentle, sad eyes that she could not quite read. "That is indeed a beautiful engagement ring."

Then then Kings eyes turned to meet Legolas' "You too, my son."

Choosing not to argue, she nodded her head lightly, feeling Elladan taking her hand gently as she rose to her feet. To her slight surprise Elladan too rose from the seat, placing a hand on the small of her back as they slowly started their way towards the door, Legolas close behind.

"_Are you not staying to speak with your father?"_ She could tell that he longed to speak with the Elf-Lord, ask about what happened in Imladris, and yet she could feel that the words from the previous conversation were still playing inside his mind, not allowing him to leave her side.

"_Elrohir will let me know what he says."_

She did not add anything else, grateful for his presence next to her as they exited the study. She could hear the King saying something else to the Elf-Lord in elvish as the door closed behind them, but she no longer cared. She did not even know why she was heading to her chambers to sleep, sleep would not come, she already knew that.

The long arched hallway was completely empty, their footsteps echoing hollowly in the thin stone columns, the sound bouncing on the pointed arches and slipping through the open balconies into the night.

They had not walked for long when a hand suddenly grabbed her left arm, a surprised cry dying inside her throat as another hand was firmly placed over her mouth, pulling her into another dark hallway. Her heart jumped inside her chest, threatening to escape from her insides, the hands pulling her moving so fast that it did not give her a chance to look at the face of her captor. Elladan jumped immediately, but she was surprised that neither he nor Legolas uttered a single sound.

An elf was standing right in front of her, one hand firmly covering her mouth, the other hand that had been grabbing her arm entirely releasing her. Long blond hair framed his fine face, a pair of very familiar penetrating dark blue eyes fixed on hers sharply. She felt her heart relax slightly at the familiar, although her nerves and fright did not lessen. Doronor had one slender finger pressed to his lips in an indication to be silent, and she could see both Elladan and Legolas watching him carefully, obeying his command.

The advisor had them pressed to the cold stone wall, the darkness of the corridor keeping them hidden from any by passers, although she doubted there would be any. The corridor had seemed entirely empty. And still, it was not that what had her nerves at edge. It was the suddenly nervous look in the advisor's penetrating eyes and the way in which he frantically eyed towards the hallway what kept her silent.

"You have to leave. All of you." Doronor's voice was a barely audible hiss, his dark blue eyes seeming to penetrate her, piercing her with the weight of his words. He seemed to be in a rush. "I cannot explain in detail, I have a rope to my neck. I know their intentions. It is not a battle what they seek. They are coming for you."

The advisor was speaking fast, barely breathing in between his words, eyes frantically turning to the empty hallway every two seconds. She could not even think, concentrating on grasping his words as they flew in a faint whisper. She had no idea what he was trying to say. He looked completely frightened, as if he believed someone was waiting to kill him if they heard what he was saying.

"There will be an attack tonight. The King does not know. Lord  
Elrond is here now, but that has not managed to make them change their plans. You have to leave, my Lady. Neither the King nor Lord Elrond will be harmed."

Doronor threw yet another look in the direction of the empty hallway, lowering his voice even more as he continued.

"Go to your chambers. Let the guards see you get inside, wait for and hour, and then leave. Use the servant's access, and _do not_ let anyone see you. _Anyone_. They are inside the palace, and I do not know who they are. Do not go back to your father. His life is not at risk, I can assure you. It is no one's intention to harm the King. I will alert your other brothers, it is better if you all leave, they will know where to go."

Her heart raced inside of her, Elladan and Legolas looking as petrified as her.

"Doronor, wha…"

"Shh!" The advisor silenced Legolas before he could even finish speaking, his dark blue eyes once again looking at the empty hallway. Then, his eyes turned to look at hers once more, piercing hers intently, his face leaning closer to her as his voice lowered even more.

"You should have died with your mother. You should have never returned. They know what you can do, they know how powerful you are. The entire realm knows. By the Valar, you nearly killed your brother! Now go before anyone sees us."

She did not even have time to process his words, did not even have time to ask what he meant, to react in any way before he was pushing them out in the hallway. Without another word the blond advisor turned around, quickly disappearing through the dark corridor, once again walking as untroubled and graceful as ever, a perfect mask covering his emotions…

Here is chapter 19! Sorry for the wait! I hope the chapter is worth the while! Please let me know what you think!

Again, ,thank you soo so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: CeffylGwyn, world-classgeek, AnneWithane, wonderpanda10, kcelflover, dindingsong, Paperlanterns86, Hirilnin, starfire341, SarahWeasley, Martine9295, Danda225, AmazingWriter123, Coco99, Mary Elrondile, booklover1598, Jasperslittlesister, and xX-MissyMoo-Xx.

Love,

Elena


	20. A Language I Don't Speak

The empty hallway stretch endlessly in front of her, as if every step that she took only made it stretch even more. The thing frail columns that rose high above her head felt taller now, imposing, and for the first time they looked like cold hard stone, all the beautiful carvings forgotten to her eyes.

An unsettling silence hung around them as they walked, its cold ghostly fingers grasping her skin as the air seemed to whisper in a mocking voice, laughing at their ignorance. How many other secrets had been shared at the witness of these same cold stone walls? What many other things were being planned behind their backs, without anyone knowing? She did not know whether or not to believe the words the advisor had just spoken to them. They sounded like the truth, but for all they knew it could have been a lie.

Elladan and Legolas walked close to her, at either side of her, their silence letting her know that the same questions ran through their minds. It was as if none of them dared to speak a single word. Even the walls seemed to have ears to listen to their conversations. And what seemed most unsettling of it all was the fact that Doronor had mentioned that whoever was behind all of this was inside the palace. Suddenly it felt as if every passing maid, every guard bowing respectfully as they walked, every elf they encountered were watching her, waiting to charge at her.

And yet, the words that seemed to consume her mind, to make her brain and heart compress until she could not think straight, making her feel distant from reality, were the last words Doronor had said to her. She could still the low hissed whisper inside her head: _"You should have died the day your mother died. You should have never returned. You nearly killed your brother!"_ The poisonous words felt colder than the stone columns, like a knife stabbing into her chest and curling around her throat making it hard to breath.

She felt the wetness in her eyes starting to slowly roll down her cheeks, but she did not put any care to it. Instead, she kept her eyes focused on the front, her face as hard and composed as she could, although she very well knew that neither Elladan nor her brother were oblivious to her silent tears. If they noticed them, they did not mention it, did not even look in her direction, and she was overly glad for it. She could not place the emotions that wracked her to tears. Hurt at the harsh words and obvious rejection? Anger? Frustration? The feeling of stupidity and idiocy at hearing so little she really knew about everything? She felt Elladan taking her had as they walked, squeezing her tightly, and she grabbed to his fingers, eager to have something to hold on to.

To her right, Legolas walked lost in his own thoughts. His infinite blue eyes were suddenly hard, cold, their expression one she had never before seen in his usually open and kind irises. By the sole look in his eyes she could tell that Doronor's words had been much of a surprise to him as they were to her.

They reached the door to her chambers before she even had time to notice, the guars that filled the corridor seeming entirely irrelevant and unimportant to her, even though they did help a little in making her feel slightly safe. To her side, Elladan gently opened the beautifully carved door, holding it open for her to enter first.

"I will give you two a moment." Legolas' voice sounded somewhat empty, and she could tell that his mind was not entirely in his words. "I am going to check on Ar."

Elladan nodded his head silently and Legolas' eyes met hers before he turned around. As his deep blue eyes stared into hers, all the hardness and coldness vanished from their infinite depths, looking apologetic. He did not say anything else, and absently turned to walk in the direction of the Crown Prince's bedchamber. She did not stay to watch him as he walked, turning instead to step into her own chambers, Elladan at her heels.

The large bedchamber was as welcoming as it had always been, but this time it felt as strange to her as it had the first time she had stepped inside. Elladan's hand rested lightly on her back as he guided her towards the comfortable bed. He could feel her hesitation through their bond. She sat at the edge of the mattress, Elladan wrapping an arm around her as he sat down beside her. His slender fingers gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his endless liquid silver eyes.

"Do not let it get into your head. Those were simply words." He said in a soft voice as his thumb carefully wiped away the wetness from her cheeks. She did not answer. Of course those were simply words, but both Elladan and her knew that words could wound as deeply as arms. She had stopped crying by now, her anger growing inside of her at the lack of information. Elladan too was angry, she could see it in his steely eyes as he looked away for a second.

"It was not Legolas." She muttered, causing Elladan to turn his face to look at her. "The brother I supposedly nearly killed. It was not Legolas. I saw the look in his face while Doronor spoke. He did not know about it. That was the first time he was hearing it."

Elladan did not answer, simply sighing as he pulled her closer to him, his jaw clenched in rage.

"You have not done anything wrong." His voice was soothing, his silver eyes tender as one of his hands brushed her cheek. No, surely there was nothing wrong in _nearly killing _one of her brothers. "You have not harmed anyone."

"And how do you know!" She snapped at him, standing up and away from his touch. She felt her nerves on edge, her hands trembling slightly as the advisor's words burned inside her head. "You were not there!"

Elladan did not move, liquid silver eyes staring at her, soft and open, his face entirely serious. She reached her trembling hands to her forehead in frustration, a pang of regret building in her stomach at her sudden outburst. It was not Elladan's fault. She closed her eyes for a second, breathing out a sigh before sitting down again next to him.

"Forgive me." She breathed out and he responded by once again wrapping an arm around her small figure, pulling her into his safe embrace. She let her eyes fall closed for a moment, calming down at his sweet scent. He placed a light kiss atop her head, and for long minutes he did not say anything. But she did not need him to speak; his tender touch spoke louder than any words could.

"What are we going to do?" He whispered soothingly after what felt like an eternity.

She pulled away to look into his eyes, drowning in deep pools of liquid silver. One of her hands travelled to his cheek, and he placed his hand over hers, eyes never leaving her. She shook her head, silently communicating him that she had no answer to his question. She did not even know if Doronor had been speaking the truth when he mentioned there would be an attack that night, and for the look in his eyes neither did he.

"We have an hour to decide whether we stay or leave." His lips brushed her ear delicately as he whispered.

"I know." Was her only answer, letting her head fall lightly over his shoulder. She only hoped Legolas or Tadion would know what to do. That one of them would take a decision on the matter. She felt too much at a loss to do so.

Elladan answered with silence once more, simply pulling her closer to him. By the distant look in his endless silver eyes she could tell that he was contacting Elrohir, no doubt letting him know of everything the advisor had warned them about.

She let her eyes wonder around the elegant and spacious room, only to fall on the small wooden table piled up with unopened presents. She had nearly forgotten about them. They seemed so unimportant, and yet, in the emptiness of the air around her, they felt so inviting, as if their silver and golden ribbons still jingled with the dead echo of a distant, joyful waltz and freshly cooked meal.

"How do you feel about opening gifts?" She pulled away from his arms to look into his face, a small smile building on her lips. Elladan's eyes darted to the table for a second before centering on hers, a light laugh escaping his lips, the sound so warm and inviting.

Standing from the bed, he offered her a hand, helping her to her feet before guiding her to the small table, each of them taking one of the cushioned seats that surrounded it. She took one of the finely wrapped presents in her hands. It was one of the three her father had gifted her. She would open the gift from her father first, the other ones could wait.

Slowly, she pulled at the thin golden ribbon, letting her fingers carefully unwrap the small, flat box. Inside were the most beautiful necklace and bracelet she had yet seen. Thin strings of silver laced with one another in an intricate, breathtaking web, so delicate that she felt as if they could break by simply looking at them. Whenever one of the strings reached end, a tiny forest green emerald hung from it, sparkling in dark green among the shimmering silver. Both necklace and bracelet had the same patters.

"That is beautiful." Elladan's voice made her lift her eyes from the gorgeous pieces of jewelry, only to fall on the only other jewelry they would never be able to top: his liquid silver eyes. "Try it on."

She let out a short laugh, carefully taking both ends of the necklace in her hands, careful no to move too much her broken right hand. Elladan stood up from his chair, walking behind her and gently taking the necklace from her hands. A slight shiver ran down her spine and her heart fluttered inside of her as she felt his fingers brushing against the back of her neck, pushing all of her hair over her shoulder and carefully tying the necklace. Once he was done, he took her long golden hair in his hands and gently straightened it down her back.

"Now it looks better." He whispered in her left ear, his voice carrying its usual mischievous and mocking tone in it. He placed a quick kiss on her cheek as both of his hands came to rest over her shoulders. Before he could move his head, she turned around on her seat, placing her lips against his in a light kiss.

The door of her chambers opened gently, and she turned her head to catch sight of Legolas and Lossenel entering the piece. A smile lit her face as she met both of her siblings eyes, and the Princess smile in return, her ice green-blue eyes shimmering with their usual light. However, the slight shadow behind her gentle eyes told her that Legolas had already spoken to her about their small encounter with Doronor.

"You are opening presents!" The stunning Princess breathed out as she made her way to the table on which they sat, her aquamarine dress swirling weightlessly around her. Elladan laugh lightly, shaking his head as her sister sat down next to her, already passing her yet another wrapped box for her to open. Legolas had remained thoughtful, slowly walking in their direction.

Enjoying the distraction, she focused on opening the two remaining gifts from her father. One was fine, rich blue winder cloak, carefully embroidered in silver thread. And the other was an empty drawing book, its fine leather covers adorned in intricate golden patters. Next to the book was a delicate quill, tiny jewels encrusted in it. She did not even bother opening the other presents at the moment, very well aware that their time to make a decision was running out.

She knew they needed to act soon, and if they were going to leave after all they needed to prepare for it. But it seemed as if none of them wanted to touch that reality, grasping the slight escape that the presents granted them. Elladan had remained standing behind her, hands resting lightly over her shoulders, while Legolas had taken the empty seat to her right, leaving Lossenel to her left.

All four pairs of eyes turned in the direction of the door as it opened again. Tadion slowly stepped into the room, his arms carefully steadying a very pale looking Arahaleon. Lossenel immediately rushed to her brother's other side, giving Tadion a reproachful look before helping him slowly guide the Crown Prince to the couch. Arahaelon sat down quietly, closing his eyes and looking completely worn out as Lossenel took one of the pillows from the bed and gently slid it behind his back, as if the couch was not comfortable enough. The snowy Princess then sat down next to her eldest brother, her delicate hands travelling to his neck and forehead, feeling for his temperature.

"Fever is gone." She heard Tadion telling his sister, the latter breathing out a sigh of relief before letting her hands fall back onto her lap. She noticed that Legolas had also moved closer to the Crown Prince, sitting down on his other side.

"How do you feel, Ar? Are you in pain?" Legolas asked in a soft voice, his infinite blue eyes looking directly at his eldest brother. Arahaelon lied easily by shaking his head, his penetrating forest green eyes looking at his youngest brother, smiling softly.

Tadion moved to take one of the seats in front o the couch, looking as carefree and untroubled as ever, so peaceful and relaxed, although his eyes never left the Crown Prince, carefully observing him.

"When are we leaving?" Tadion's voice sounded completely casual, as if was merely talking about the weather, a tiny sparkle of excitement gleaming in his clear blue eyes. She moved closer to her other siblings, Elladan at her heels.

"How do we know if what Doronor said is true?" Legolas vocalized the question running through her mind, his infinite blue eyes looking at Tadion's equal pair.

"Doronor might be many things, but he is no liar." All pairs of eyes turned at the sound of the Crown Prince's serene voice. "I do not know how he came to have knowledge of this planned attack, and the fact that he has not mentioned it to Ada can cost him greatly. His silence is considered treason, and he knows it. However, I believe that he was speaking the truth, warning the three of you and letting you know about it is enough to know where his loyalty lies. He knows the risk he is in."

"Perhaps he overheard something." Lossenel added, her eyes travelling to her siblings, searching if they agreed with her words.

"No." Elladan was the one to speak. "If he had overheard then he had no reason to stay silent and not tell you father. He was scared that someone might hear him. He has been threatened by someone."

Elladan's words made complete sense to her. _"I have a rope to my neck"_ She remembered the advisor mentioning that before. And still, an iced shiver wracked her body at the thought of how many other elves in the palace could possibly be in Doronor's position? Doronor had spoken to them, but could there be others who knew other things and had kept completely quiet about it?

"And who is going to attack then? Elves?" Lossenel asked again, and she could hear the slight thread of despair tainting her melodic voice.

"Perhaps, yes." Tadion's clear blue eyes turned to meet his sister's as he spoke. "And elf already attacked Rëa, and I have no reason to believe they would not do it again."

"Or it could be something else." Arahaelon added in his serene yet powerful voice. "There is an alarmingly large number of Orcs travelling close to the borders. That is the reason why I was on patrol two mornings ago."

Images of the nasty fowl creatures flashed through her mind, their yellow eyes and black armors making her shiver involuntarily. She would go anywhere if only to get way from them. And the sole fact that there was a chance they would be attacking specifically to come and find her gave her chills. She perfectly remembered how they had broken into Imladris, and how they had taken it's Lord with them. Were these the same Orcs? Had been following them all they way?

"I think our best option is to leave." Tadion's voice broke the silence that had settled after Arahaelon's sudden news, causing all pairs of eyes to turn in his direction. "It is our safest option. If there is in fact an attack to come for Rëa, then she will not be here."

"I agree." Said Elladan quietly in response.

"Then we must leave as soon as we can, cross the borders before anything happens." Lossenel's voice had lowered to whisper, her iced color eyes looking serious now.

"_You_ are not going anywhere, Lossie." The Crown Prince's voice was soft and calmed, but it left no space for argument. His emerald colored eyes fixed the Princess steadily, making everyone looking forget the weakened and pale complexion of his body.

"Of course I am." The Princess' eyes were determined, her voice as firm as her brother's. "I am not going to stay here while you all leave. And it should be _you _the one not going anywhere. You should be in bed Ar!"

"Lossie, I said no." Arahaelon's voice has not lost any of its patience, still as serene as before, his melted emerald eyes centered on his sister. Lossenel looked angry, her burning eyes fixed on her brother. She did not blame her. She too would have been angry if she had been told to stay while everyone else left.

"And why not?" The Princess hissed.

"Because it is dangerous. Crossing the borders is dangerous and you know that, especially if they catch us escaping. If do not make the escape in time, then things will get even harder. Rëa is coming because she _has _to."

"And why are _you_ going Arahaelon? Have you looked at yourself? You can barely stand on your feet! You should be resting." Lossenel had risen to her feet, eyes looking as if she would hit her brother. Both Tadion and Legolas were watching silently, deciding not to step into the argument, and she had the feeling that neither of them would argue against their eldest brother.

"Because I can help Tadion and Legolas leading the way through the forest. The more we are the better chances we have of making it safely through the forest. Why do you think patrols are never less than six elves? You are _not _going, Lossie" Arahaelon remained as calmed as before, overly patient with his raging sister. He had not even raised his voice, and she was starting to think that maybe he did not have the strength to do so, although his eyes remained as powerful and piercing as before, unyielding.

Then, before she could even realize what was happening, Lossenel's hand flew to her brother's face, slapping him hard on the right cheek. A sudden silence settled in the room. Arahaelon looked momentarily stunned, one of his hands travelling to his cheek as if trying to understand that he had indeed been slapped. Slowly, he turned his head to face the Princess, emerald eyes hard, the pale skin on his right cheek speedily turning red where Lossenel's hand had hit him.

The Princess' eyes were wide, her face shocked, her own action seeming to have surprised her. Lossenel stood there for a second, paralyzed. Her sister suddenly looked mortified, all the previous ire in her eyes replaced by guilt and regret, one delicate hand flying to her mouth.

"I am sorry." Lossenel breathed out, her eyes still wide and her voice trembling. "Ar, I am so very sorry. I…I did not mean…"

The Princess immediately moved to sit back down next to her eldest brother, trembling hands rushing to rest on his arm, desperately seeking forgiveness. For a moment, she thought Arahaelon would scold Lossenel, or pull away form her touch, but was entirely surprised when he did not. His hard emerald eyes did not entirely soften, but contrary to what she had imagined he wrapped an arm around his despairing sister, pulling her against him as she locked her arms around his neck.

"I am sorry, Ar." The Princess continued to apologize, careful not to put much pressure on her brother's bandaged torso as she hugged him, her voice stained with regret. Lossenel looked on the verge of tears. "Please forgive me. I am sorry."

Arahaelon remained silent as his sister apologized to him, his hard eyes staring into nothingness while his hand rubbed soothing circles on the Princess' back. He did not look happy, but he did not hold any grudge against his sister, entirely forgiving her.

"_If_ you come, will you do _exactly _what I tell you to do?" Arahaelon's voice was low, still calmed, but not as gentle as before.

Lossenel pulled away to look into his eyes, nodding her head immediately. "Yes, yes of course."

The Crown Prince nodded his head once, and at that moment she was sure that it would be him the one leading the party. She had not doubt that even the twins would follow his orders. She felt Elladan wrapping a hand around her waist, and she understood that he would not be leaving her side.

"Very well." Arahaelon said flatly, his eyes now softer than before, once again melted emeralds as he looked at his sister, and yet there was still a firm sparkle gleaming in them, stressing the seriousness of his words. "You will stay close to Tadion at all times. It is not that I do not trust you to defend yourself, but it would make my life easier if you stayed close to him."

Lossenel nodded her head in reply, opening her mouth to say something but before she could even make a sound a cold wind blew from the balcony, carrying the whispers of the trees. But those were not the same hollow whispers the forest had been singing throughout the night. These were different, louder. They spoke of danger. Her heart skipped a bit as she listened to their warning cries. If there were indeed Orcs running nearby, they had now crossed the borders and penetrated into the forest.

Tadion was the first one to react, standing up from his seat as his head turned in the direction of the balcony, clear blue eyes vigilant, his senses sharp.

"We are late. We have to leave before they reach the Palace."

Here is chapter 20! I hope the wait was not too long! Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: luckyponygirl, jibril, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, dingdongsong, Martine9295, Danda225, booklover1598, CeffylGwyn, SarahWeasley, Mary Elrondile, wonderpanda10, Wtiger5, AmazingWriter123, starfire341, Paperlanterns86, world-classgeek, and Hirilnin.

Jibril: I did not know it was your birthday, so happy belated birthday to you! I hope you had a wonderful time!

Love,

Elena


	21. Dead End

Everyone reacted immediately. Their time was running up. She could feel her heart starting to race inside her chest, every single beat a second they had already lost. The door was thrown open once more and she nearly jumped in surprise, calming down only as she saw the younger twin rushing towards his mirror image. By the look on his alert silver eyes, she could tell that Elrohir already knew everything that had taken place in his absence. The twins locked eyes for a second, silver meeting silver in a silent conversation in which she could not participate.

"Let us get everything ready as soon as we can." Legolas said a he nearly jumped to his feet, quickly making his way towards the door, Tadion following closely behind. Arahaelon attempted to rise from the couch but Tadion immediately stopped him with a gentle hand.

"Stay there. I will bring your things, Ar. Yours too, Lossie." Tadion's clear blue eyes turned to his sister for a moment, before returning to meet his eldest brother's penetrating green eyes. The Crown Prince nodded his head, looking slightly relieved to be spared the task of walking back to his chambers.

"Is your sword in its usual place?" Tadion continued in his gentle voice, receiving another nod from Arahaelon. "Your bow?" Another nod. "Your-"

"Tadion!" Legolas interrupted from the door in an impatient tone. He looked exasperated with his brother, and at the same times his lips twitched in a smirk as his infinite blue eyes stared into his elder brother's equal pair. "Everything is in its place. Arahaelon's chambers are not _your_ chambers. Move it."

Tadion's sparkling blue eyes widened are he turned to face his younger brother, his mouth opened in mocked offence, yet fighting back a smile, as if he could not believe his younger brother was calling him out. Nonetheless, Tadion rose to his feet and quickly walked to where Legolas waited, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother. Lossenel's laughter floated in the haunted air, the sound like tiny silver bells dancing delicately around her.

"What exactly are you implying?" She could not contain a smile as she heard Tadion asking Legolas as they exited the room, the door closing before she could hear an answer.

Beside her, both of the twins were already securing their long dark blue cloaks over their shoulders, and for the first time she noticed that Elrohir had brought both his and his twins belongings with him. She simply stood there for a moment, unmoving. She knew she needed to get ready, but it felt as if her body denied her request, not willing to accept the situation.

On the couch, the Crown Prince sat leaning against the pillow behind his back, eyes once again closed in exhaustion, making her question whether or not he had fallen asleep. His right cheek was still an angry pink, marking the place Lossenel's hand had slapped him, but he did not seem to be aware of that any longer. The snowy Princess sat next to him, and opposite to her brother, she did look very much aware of the mark on his cheek. Her stunning ice colored eyes seemed dulled, a shadowing shame and remorse burying their usual light as she stared emptily at her hands neatly folded on her lap. Her guilt stricken eyes gazed up to her brother, the back of her fingers gently and hesitantly caressing his pink cheek, barely even touching him at all.

She felt slender fingers carefully placing a fine velvet cloak over her shoulders from behind, and her lips curved up in a smile as she immediately knew who it was. She turned around to face Elladan as he gently clasped her pale green cloak at her chest. It was the cloak he had gifted her, and the pin the one that had once belonged to him. Liquid silver eyes fell on hers, drowning her in the endless expansions and she felt him reaching to her through their bond, sending waves of calmness in her direction. His hands tenderly slid down her shoulders, perfectly straightening the cloak before his hands reached hers, allowing her to entwine her fingers with his.

"Are you all right, my love?" His melodic voice was low enough so that no other elf in the room would hear him. She smiled reassuringly, placing a light kiss on his cheek as her answer.

In the back of her mind, she could hear Legolas and Tadion returning to the room, helping Arahaelon and Lossenel with their things as fast as possible, but she paid no attention to them. Instead, she leaned forward into Elladan's chest, feeling his heart beating against her cheek and his welcoming arms wrapping securely around her. She knew the moment would last only short seconds, but she intended to stretch them for as long as she could, shielding her thoughts and fears in his sole presence.

The soft cool breeze kept whispering danger, telling her to move, to run, to escape, her nerves growing more restless by the second and her heart starting to race anxiously. And yet, her feet did not move.

Much sooner than she had liked, he pulled away, his hands once again searching for hers, and she understood that the hour for departure had finally arrived. Elrohir was standing to his twin side, both of them suddenly looking more identical than ever, perfect copies standing tall and elegant, making her doubt that anyone would be able to tell them apart.

Lossenel was already on her feet, watching closely a Legolas and Tadion carefully helped Arahaelon to stand. The Crown Prince paled at the movement, swaying dangerously on his feet and she was sure he would have fallen had it not been for his brothers' hands supporting him upright. She felt her heart jump in fear, suddenly doubting that her eldest brother would even make it to the door.

"_He will be fine. He no longer has a fever, but his body is still fighting the remains of the poison and the wound needs to start healing. The poison has been preventing it from healing. It will only take him some time to regain his strength. Do not worry." _She heard Elladan's voice reassuring her inside her head and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze to let him know she had heard him. She knew that both Elladan and Elrohir were trained healers, as skilled as any healer in the Palace.

Arahaelon seemed to regain his balance some seconds later, finally opening his eyes to reveal a pair of powerful emerald irises, so serene and yet so piercing, once again looking as if the power in his eyes was entirely independent from the condition of his weakened body. His face was calmed, entirely composed, looking every inch the Crown Prince he was. Had it not been for his overly pale complexion and the way in which he obviously leaned on Legolas for support she would have never imagined he was injured at all; and had it not been for the poison that so direly weakened him she was sure he would have fooled her entirely, just as he had done during the Winters Solstice celebration.

"How are we getting out?" She asked suddenly. "There are guards all over the hallway."

She could still hear the many footsteps coming and going through the long corridor outside her chambers. It seemed that they had not been the only ones to pick on the warning of the forest.

"We are not taking the hallway." Legolas was the one to answer, his infinite blue eyes looking directly at her, all of his senses sharp. "There is a service access inside the sitting room you share with Lossenel."

She could not hide the surprise from showing on her face. She had not even known she shared a sitting room with her sister. Her eyes instantly travelled to the other door inside her chambers, the one Legolas' eyes were currently focused on. Why had she never even bother to explore what was behind said door? She had known that Lossenel's room was directly next to hers, but she had completely ignored the fact that they shared a common space. However, her thoughts were quickly brought back to reality before she could continue to ponder on them.

"Tadion, you go first." The Crown Prince's serene yet unquestionable voice commanded. "Legolas, you and I will go last."

Her middle brother said nothing in return, quickly making his way to the elegant door she had never seen open. Elladan's hand never left hers as they one by one made it through the door, and she suddenly had the feeling that this door would be the easiest to cross in their whole escape. Part of her wanted to keep questioning her brothers. Surely there would also be elves in the service areas of the Palace, it was not like the Palace was empty. But she kept quiet. It was the only chance they had, and she would take it.

The room on the other side was pitch black, and for some seconds she could see absolutely nothing as her eyes adjusted. Slowly, shapes started to appear on her vision, and she could see some elegant pieces of furniture decorating the overly large room. There were some couches and seats, and she was nearly sure she could make out a long table to one side. All of the colors had been reduced to darks blues and greys in the lack of light, some of the disappearing into complete darkness. She could not see a single window, but the faint outline of long curtains proved their presence. For a moment, she wished she had time to simply observe the room, to sit in it alone with her sister, but they merely walked through it, Tadion leading the way to another door on one of the walls.

It took her a moment to make out the outline of a door in the majestic stone wall. The door cracked lowly as it opened the shimmering orange light of the torches lighting the other side quickly brightening the room a little. She could not see much ahead, but she could see enough to make out they were stairs. It seemed like a long stone tunnel spiraling down in steps, until they disappeared as it curved out of view.

Tadion was the first one to go through the door, Lossenel at his heels. She could tell that the Princess seemed determined to stay close to him, as she had promised Arahaelon. Elrohir was the next one to go and she followed behind him, Elladan only a step at her back. Legolas and Arahaelon went last, silently closing the door behind them as to leave no track.

The space was narrow, only wide enough to fit two elves at a time, and the ceiling was uncommonly low, only a foot or two above their heads. The air smelled strongly of humidity, and even though there was an occasional torch lighting their way, she had to concentrate to not loose her footing. The echo of their silent footsteps bounced on the plain walls, their sound a hollow song that was the only witness to their quiet escape.

She did not count how many steps they descended before finally reaching a long, dimly lit corridor. Just as the stairs had been, the corridor seemed to be empty. Many entrances and other corridors and stairs branched out of this large one, all of them in equal plain stone, like a dark and labyrinth in which she did into want to get lost. The pale silvery moonlight filtered through thin slits at the top of the walls, radiating down in perfect pale lines along the grey stone.

Her obvious thought would have been to continue straight through the endlessly stretching stone corridor, or perhaps to take a detour through one of the branching entrances, but Tadion seemed to have a different idea in mind. Instead of following through the empty corridor, the Prince took a sharp turn to the right, rounding what seemed to be the towering wall that had enclosed the long spiral staircase. She had not even noticed the small gap in between the end of the stairs and the corridor wall until her brother disappeared through it.

Her heart was racing inside her chest, so loud she thought her siblings would be able to hear it. She walked as close to Elrohir as possible, following his every move. The narrow passage curved into a constricted semicircle behind the towering staircase, making her feel caged in the awkwardly left space. It felt strange, as if this space was not supposed to be there, and she could not conceal inside her head that it had purposely designed. No. It seemed as if the tower with the staircase had been built over another existing structure. She spared a glance behind her, and by the excited and curious gleam in Legolas' eyes she could tell that this passage was as knew to him as it was to her.

To her relief, the tight passage was not long. In fact, it seemed overly short, only curving a quarter of a circle behind the tower wall before it met an end. There were not torches on the walls, but what she found strangest of it all was that there were no structures to hang to torches from, as if this tight, curving entrance had been entirely forgotten, never used.

It did not take her long to notice that the end of the passage was not a dead end. No. There was what seem dot have once been an elegantly carved door. It was closed. Dust and mold consuming the once fine wood, the beautiful copper doorknob stained in black. This door had not been opened in decades. The awkward way in which the edge of the door nearly collided with the wall of the passage only strengthened her assumption that the towering staircase had indeed been built years after. What she could not understand was why?

Tadion, Arahaelon and Lossenel seemed to have known that door was there. There was no surprise in their eyes at the sight of the rotting wood. Doronor's words echoed through her mind once more. _"I will alert your brothers. They will know where to go."_ Had the advisor also known of this forgotten door?

"It will be locked." Arahaelon's low voice bounced on the tight walls from behind her, his piercing emerald eyes looking directly at Tadion. "Can you break the lock?"

"I do not need to break it." Tadion's lips curved up in a mocking smile, clear blue eyes shimmering with victory and he held up a single long copper key in his fingers.

"How did you get that?" The Crown Prince looked taken aback, arching an eyebrow questioningly. Tadion's smile only widened in return.

"I have…acquaintances." Came Tadion's simple reply, causing Arahaelon to roll his eyes impatiently and Legolas to try and suppress a light laugh.

It took Tadion several times to open the door, the lock seemed stuck form the many years left unused. The rotting door finally opened with a low creaking sound, her brother having to force it a couple of times until it was wide enough for an elf to squeeze in. Dust rained from the movement, swirling and spiraling in the tight space, and she had to close her eyes to prevent them from tearing up.

The space behind the narrowly opened door was pitch black, like an endless abysm, forgotten and unnoticed, threatening them to walk directly into it. A cold shiver ran down her spine at the sole idea of walking through the opened crack. To say that she disliked constricted spaces was an understatement, and the total darkness only made things worse.

One by one they squeezed through the narrow opening, leaving the tight hidden passage behind them. She felt her heart beating in her throat, every step she took was a step she could not take back. Every inch of her body seemed to be warning her of danger, but she could not go any faster. Here in this black, consuming hole, there was no way of knowing what was going on the other side of the majestic stone walls.

Humidity was higher on the other side of the door, the air suddenly turning cold and heavy, and she cold smell more dust and mold around her. To her surprise, the space behind the door was not another narrow corridor as she had expected, but a large room, the echo of their footsteps bouncing infinitely on the tall walls. She tripped with something on the floor and Elrohir's quick reflexes caught her by the arm before she could fall.

"Careful where you step." He whispered to her, making sure she had complete control of her footing before letting go of her arm.

Finally, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and the sight that met her eyes made a new wave of shivers wash over her petrified body. The room was indeed a large room, the tall stone walls extending upwards almost infinitely. And yet the desolated sorrow of their forgotten grandeur seemed almost melancholic, their silent echo whispering like cries of pain and despair in their eternal solitude. Parts of the wall seemed to have crumbled down, wearily surrendering to their loneliness, leaving the inner hard stone that composed the structure entirely visible behind, like the remaining bones of a decaying corpse.

Tall narrow windows stretched up the entire length of the walls, meeting the shade of pointed arches at the top, their frail crystals grey from dust and time, preventing the silvery moonlight from completely washing into the room. Instead, the faint pale light that made it trough the opaque crystals was dull, fragmented in delicate weak beams, as if the light itself pitied the forgotten room, attempting to offer some sort of consolation to its darkened state. Pieces of crumble stone and fallen items lay scattered on the floor, making it hard to walk without tripping.

Her eyes wondered around the entire room, and she could see Legolas and the twins doing the same. Tall and elegant statues were carved along the walls, three times the size of a real elf, their empty stone eyes seeming to watch them as they walked, begging for someone to remember their times of glory. Thin delicate columns lined the Hall, branching out to support the ceiling in the shape of branches and leaves, intertwining with one another, so tall she could barely see their ends.

"_What is this place?"_ She mentally asked Elladan as he stepped to her side, walking next to her instead of behind. He seemed as awed and uneasy about this space as she did.

"_It was a council room." _Elladan's gentle voice echoed inside her head, and she turned her head in direction his eyes were looking.

There, in the center of the overly large Hall were the remains of a large rounded table. The once perfectly carved wood that adorned it now rotten and missing pieces, only the hard time wearied stone that composed the majority of the table remained, the finely elven inscriptions in it hardly visible. The thin columns rounded the table in an ample circle, leaving a space were ten decaying seats laid forgotten around the table. The ceiling above them was considerably higher and in the rest of the room, and the blackened crystals at its top let her know where a skylight had once shone, now eternally sealed by the corridors and rooms built over this desolated structure. One of the chairs was remarkable taller than the rest, and unlike its companions, it was made in gold, resembling more of a throne than a seat, marking the place the King had once occupied.

The gentle sound of water drops drumming on the windows' crystals told her it had started to rain. The thick drops hit the crystal with a wracking force, the force of the wild wind making them tremble in return. They hurriedly walked in silence through the room, Elladan instinctively placing a hand on her back. It seemed as if all of them were determined to get out of the Palace as soon as possible, ignoring yet what was happening behind these forever silenced walls.

She could hear the trees cracking violently outside, their black shadows moving brutally on the other side of the crystals, as if they were once again moving, stretching. Her heart raced faster, all of her senses suddenly alert, feeling more awake than ever. The storm raging outside was not a product of nature. The King and Lord Elrond already knew of the approaching threat.

Tadion led them to the end of the room, curving into what once seemed to have been one of the many accesses into the fine council room. One of the walls had a large hole in it, letting visibly what seemed to be the remains of a staircase descending into yet another room. The hole met the stairs about eight feet above them, meaning that the access to the beginning of the stairs was no longer existent.

Without warning, Tadion jumped through the opening, gracefully landing on the steps below. A branch suddenly hit one of the crystals, making her jump in surprise. When she turned around Lossenel was already sitting at the edge of the opening, allowing her brother to help her from below. Elrohir jumped next, and her heart skipped a beat as she realized she should follow.

She carefully sat at the edge of the stone, imitating what her sister had done, and slowly lowered her body into the hole, letting out a sigh of relief as she felt Elrohir's hands around her waist, carrying her down until her feet touched the ground. The stair was too narrow for more than two of them to stand on the same step, so she headed further down, towards where Lossenel waited. Unlike the side of the stairs from which they had jumped, the other side presented no wall, but the remains of what once was a railing, the stairs openly descending into yet another large, decaying Hall.

She heard Elladan jumping down next, and turn around to look, watching just in time as he gracefully hit the steps below. Up in the wall opening, the Crown Prince seemed to be having trouble in joining the rest of them. She knew he could not jump, he would not be able to land on his feet. She watched as Legolas helped his eldest brother sit at the edge of the hole, both Elladan and Tadion carefully lowering Arahaelon to the ground. Once the Crown Prince's feet were safely on the stone steps, Tadion took over Legolas in supporting him upright, guiding him down a couple of steps for Legolas to jump.

Unlike the decaying council room, this second Hall was hardly recognizable, so destroyed that even its shape was hard to make out. Tadion was once again leading the way, Arahaelon once more leaning on Legolas as they walked close to the tall wall. She could not tell where they were headed, or if the space had changed from a Hall to a corridor or another Hall. The place was too destroyed to tell, the pieces of stones on the floor making it hard to walk in a straight line. All she could tell was that they were descending through the Palace, following occasional staircases and narrow corridors.

Finally they reached another opening. It was a wide stone arch, al most like a doorframe, except that there was no door. The stone of the walls seemed in better condition, although it no longer held any of the elegant carvings or detailing that the previous Halls had. No. This one was once again plain, although it was definitely in better condition. It seemed newer. There were three wide stone steps on the other side of the arch, and ahead she could see what seemed to be another labyrinth of plain stone passages.

The faint flickering light of a torch in the corridor ahead gave her some reassurance. At least she was glad to be outside the murmuring ruins of forgotten Halls. Part of her was surprised to find that there was no door locking the decaying ruins from this access to the lower corridors of the Palace, but then again, the dire condition of those last halls they had crossed probably held no attraction to any elf. She hardly doubted anyone would venture into them, if only to find out what was left. Especially this far below in the Palace. In fact she had a dreadful feeling that they were no longer in the service areas, but in the dungeons.

They rushed through the enclosed stone corridor, their footsteps as silent as possible, taking left into yet another corridor. The corridor fed into yet another one, but before they could round the corner the sound of running footsteps reached her ears, and at the front of the line Tadion held up a hand, pressing his back against the cold dark stone, hiding in the shadows. They all imitated him, waiting. Two guards ran past their view, not even noticing them in the darkness of the corridor. They seemed in an obvious rush, saying something in elvish as they ran. She could not understand what they said, but the presence of guards only meant one thing. They were close to an exit.

The echo of the guards footsteps faded away in the distance, follow by a deadly silence. For long seconds the only sound that reached her ears the cracking of the fire ghostly dancing in the torches. Then Tadion ventured forward, disappearing around the corner. Lossenel followed behind. She could hear their silent footsteps echoing in the stone just as Elrohir followed her sister.

She stepped out of her hiding place, Elladan at her heels as they walked out into the corridor. At that same moment, Tadion's footsteps came to a sudden halt. She was too late to return to hide, she and Elladan were already into view. Her heart paralyzed inside her chest, her feet freezing in place as her breath was cut out of her lungs.

Some feet in front of Tadion, an elf had appeared, both the stranger and Prince frozen in place, neither expecting the other to show up. The elf was trembling, long brown hair soaking wet with rainwater. His eyes looked wild, mad, wide, jumping from Tadion to Lossenel, to Elrohir and then to her and Elladan. A bow was held up in his visibly shaking hands, an arrow pointing directly at Tadion.

Her brother remained unmoving, perfectly paralyzed, as if making sure not to make any sudden move that could startle the already terrified elf. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elladan throwing a quick glance at Legolas and Arahaelon, discretely telling them to stay hiding. The strange elf in front of them continued to shake, not giving any signs that it was his intention to lower the threatening arrow. And yet, he looked shocked, frightened out of his mind. His wide blue eyes continued to stare at Tadion, seeming to be fighting with himself, not willing to harm his Prince.

Elladan had moved ever so subtly, half of his body in front of hers, standing as tall and calmed at Tadion, trying to avoid any sudden reactions. Her brother seemed to read the hesitation and fear in the elf's eyes for he spoke cautiously.

"Amrudir, lower your bow." Tadion's calmed and slow voice floated in the air. His voice was peaceful, patient, and at the same highly authoritative. Now Legolas and Arahaelon knew the identity of the elf.

The brown haired elf shook his head violently, his eyes not looking any less scared, any less volatile, still shaking visibly. Some steps behind Tadion, Lossenel seemed completely petrified, a pale stone statue, burning fear consuming the clear depths of her eyes. Elrohir was standing directly in front of Lossenel, shielding the Princess in the same way that Elladan was shielding her.

"Amrudir, I am not going to harm you. Please lower your bow. We are only going to walk past you. We mean no harm." Tadion tried again, his calmed voice pronouncing every word carefully, clear blue eyes fixed directly on his aggressor, trying to get the unsettled elf's attention to himself.

The elf did not move, keeping the arrow as high as before, but not giving nay signs that he would shoot his Prince. Slowly, Tadion tried lifting his palms up, hesitantly taking a step forward.

"No! No! NO!" The elf suddenly shouted, his wild eyes widening almost unnaturally, shaking violently as he stretched the cord of the bow even further. Tadion halted instantly, once again freezing in his place, his eyes not betraying a single spark of fear, his expression calmed, unreadable.

"Amrudir, what do you want?" Tadion's voice was slower, and yet as calmed and composed as before.

"Her." The elf's shaking voice bounced in the walls as he nodded his head in her direction, not moving the arrow an inch. Her heart stopped inside her chest, but she did not dare move. "They are coming. They want her. Just give her to them. Give her up before they come, My Lord."

The elf's voice trembled as he spoke, his wild scared eyes almost pleading to Tadion, and yet the threatening arrow still remained pointing directly at the Prince's chest, ready to be released if necessary. My Lord. So she had not read his eyes wrong. This elf was still loyal to Tadion. She could tell he did not want to shoot his Prince, but she had no doubt he would do it to get what he wanted.

"Amrudir, please." Tadion's voice seemed to never run out of calmed patience as he tried to reason with this emotionally unstable elf "Let us go. We will be out of your way in seconds."

The elf shook his head again, pulling the string of the bow farther back.

"No. I cannot. No. No. They will kill me. I cannot let her go." The elf's voice continued to shake, fear burning inside of her at the arrow still pointing at her brother's chest.

More footsteps echoed in the distance, running in their direction. They would have company soon, and if they were as scared as this elf, things would only get harder for them. The shaking elf seemed to have heard the noise for he quickly spared a glance behind, looking more impatient now, but not lowering his bow.

"Amrudir, please." Tadion spoke again, gaining no reaction form the elf. The footsteps were drawing nearer. Time was running up.

Understanding that the frightened elf would not move, Tadion ventured a slow step forward. Then everything happened in a flash. Her heart jumped widely inside her chest. Lossenel shrieked. The elf had released the arrow without warning, letting it fly sharply through the air…

Here is chapter 21! I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think of it!

Again, I can't thank enough times all of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Jirbil, dingdongsong, Danda225, Paperlanterns86, wonderpanda10, SarahWeasley, Martine9295, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Coco99, world-classgeek, starfire341, booklover1598, AmazingWriter123, Mary Elrondile, and Wtiger5.

Love,

Elena


	22. Eye Of The Storm

Evertyhing happened so fast, she could not fully comprehend what was happening around her. It was as if something had taken complete possession of her body, her senses suddenly sharper than ever before. The arrow flew through the cold night air, and she could hear the wind's sharp cry as the arrow cut bitterly through it. She could hear the loud wind, screeching, burning through her veins as her eyes could almost see it parting to make space for the arrow. It called her with a strength she could not fight, ringing inside her head.

She could feel the air around her as she never had before, in that split of a second, it suddenly became incredibly clear, like thin transparent lines filling the entirety of the hallway, parting sharply in the middle to make space for the flying arrow. Its loud cries bounced inside her head, threatening to split her skull in half, and in that split second she succumbed to the call, feeling a strange force take control of her entire body. She never knew what happened exactly, but at that moment it felt so obvious, so clear, so natural. She had never seen anything as clear as she could see the cold wind at that moment, suddenly reachable to her, tactile and visual. The transparent lines of the wind suddenly shifted, opening a new path for the cutting arrow, deviating it.

As quickly as the cries had reached her ears, burning through her, they were gone, the transparent lines she had seen before her eyes suddenly vanished. A hollow sound echoed in the cold stone walls as the arrow rasped Tadion's side, landing flatly some distance behind them. Nobody moved. All she could hear was her trembling, shocked breathing, her heart drumming loudly, attempting to jump out of her chest. Tadion's eyes were wide, disbelieved clear blue irises staring at the trembling dark haired elf in front of him. But there was something else in his shocked, wide eyes. Confusion. The dying echo of Lossenel's cry bounced on the stone walls, a high-pitched ghost petrifying every single elf to their place. The smell of fresh crimson blood reached her nostrils instantly, making her stomach feel tight and sick, her entire body frozen.

Amrudir did not move, his slender body still shaking visibly, sick mad eyes as wide and irrational as before, burning with fear and incomprehension. The long wooden bow trembled in his unsteady grip, still held in upright position, although he made no attempt to reach for a second arrow. And yet his face was as shocked as all of theirs, crazed eyes staring at Tadion with a sickening combination of madness and disbelief. Not even he could believe he had shot.

Her brother's pale hand travelled to his side, where the arrow had cut a long gash through his skin. She saw him lifting his bloodied palm to his eyes, the crimson liquid staining his fingers as his clear blue eyes stared at it distantly, attempting to conjure reality. Then, his stolid eyes lifted in the direction of the elf in front of him.

"You missed."

Tadion's voice was calmed, detached, as if he were commenting on the weather, his eyes still shocked, paralyzed. He stood there, unmoving, one bloodied hand floating in the air before his eyes, giving no hint that he could even feel the bleeding wound on his right side. The loudening echo of approaching footsteps bounced on the cold solid stone, and yet no one moved. Amrudir remained facing Tadion, shaking violently, eyes wide. Then, without warning the elf let go of the bow, the weapon dropping unceremoniously to the floor, Amrudir's eyes staring at it as if it had burnt his hands.

For the first time she noticed that both Legolas and Arahaelon had jumped out of their hiding place, bow in hand, each pointing an arrow in the crazed elf's direction. But Amrudir did not seem to have noticed them yet. The footsteps were coming closer now, almost over them, and she caught sight of Elrohir shifting impatiently in front of Lossenel. Elladan was standing firmly in front of her, silver eyes staring directly at the front, attentive, and for the first time she became aware of his hand tightly gripping her forearm behind him, as if ready to pull her with him at any sudden necessity.

Amrudir's trembling hands reached his, tangling in his long braids. He seemed to be fighting with himself, looking insane, fear battling loyalty inside his wild looking eyes. He had not intended to miss the arrow, and yet he had not wanted to harm his Prince. It seemed almost a physical struggle, the body against the mind.

The elf's wide eyes lifted up from the fallen bow, and she saw raw fear engulfing his gaze as it fell on the Crown look in his eyes was unmistakable. To him, Arahaelon was still his Lord. Only a couple of steps behind her, Arahaelon stood tall and firm, the string of the bow pulled back in his steady hands, suddenly looking more powerful and strong than ever before. Not a hint of the previous weakness that had overcome his body remained visible in his perfectly composed face, his piercing green eyes staring fiercely at the shaking elf, emerald irises burning through the elf so intently that she involuntarily looked away, ducking her head under their unquestionable power. Legolas stood next to his older brother, his stance as steady and powerful as his. Neither of the Princes would miss their shot, and by the look in Amrudir's eyes, he seemed to know that very clearly.

"My Lord" Amrudir's shaky voice was stained in fear as he looked directly at Arahaelon, like an animal knowing he deserved punishment form his master. His wild eyes kept shifting to Legolas nervously.

"Do not speak to me." The Crown Prince's voice was calmed, and yet so cold it made her shiver involuntarily, not even needing to raise his voice for his command to be immediately obeyed. Then, Arahaelon motioned the arrow in the direction of the tall stone wall, piercing eyes never leaving the shaking elf. "Move."

The elf did not think it twice before obeying, pressing himself to the wall, seeming to try to make himself smaller, unnoticeable. The approaching footsteps were over them now, four figure suddenly appearing on the long dimly lit corridor, their long shadows caressing the floor under the occasional torches. She could tell they were guards, judging by their silvery armors and long swords and bows the carried. The newcomers accelerated their pace as they caught sight of them, rushing to their side, eyes overlooking the scene frantically. She felt petrified, not knowing what to expect anymore. Behind her, Arahaelon lowered his bow, Legolas imitating him, both elves turning to look at the newcomers.

"Your Highness!" The guard that seemed to be in charged addressed Arahaelon, eyes silently questioning the Crown Prince, seeming ready to offer his aid if needed. She let out a breath she had not even realized she had been holding, suddenly feeling slightly relieved. These guards were no threat. They looked at her brothers with an unquestionable respect, and it was not hard to read in their eyes that the royal family was deeply loved by the elves in Mirkwood. Two of the guards were staring at Amrudir, who remained pressed against the wall, their eyes quickly assuming what had happened.

"This elf has shot an arrow at Tadion. Take him where I can no longer see him." Arahaelon's voice was as serene and composed as before, his head nodding in the direction of the shaking elf, not even bothering to call Amrudir by his name. The guard's eyes widened at the unexpected news, two of them quickly grabbing the guilty elf by his arms, looking at him with disgust. Amrudir did not struggle, allowing himself to be led away by the guards, his eyes still wild and scared.

"And inform the King of his actions." Arahaelon added patiently as the guards moved to follow his command, his calmed voice a silent dismissal. A new emotion flashed through the eyes of the guilty elf at her brother's words: pure and deep fear.

The guards rushed past them as quickly as they had arrived, understanding in the Crown Prince's eyes that their presence was not required. Her heart continued to drum against her chest, her entire body feeling a need to move, to run, all of her senses warning her of their shortening time. Legolas and Arahaelon were the first to move, rushing to Tadion's side. The latter remained unmoving, almost unresponsive, not seeming aware of the wound in his side.

"Tadion." She could hear Arahaelon saying frantically, trying to get his younger brother's attention. Tadion's head turned to face his eldest brother instantly, and Arahaelon grabbed his writs, gently lowering his brother's bloodied hand to his side.

"He missed." Tadion's flat voice repeated. His warrior instincts seemed to be controlling his actions, numbing any pain out of adrenaline and shock, and forcing his senses to remain sharp.

"Can you continue?" Arahaelon's voice was stained with worry. He had not missed the wound in his younger brother's side, fresh blood still oozing from it freely. She recognized the look in the Crown Prince's emerald eyes. It was the same look Elladan gave Elrohir whenever they were in a dangerous situation. Tadion nodded his head, immediately walking forward once more, as if nothing had happened. He did not even wait for Arahaelon to say anything else.

Elrohir rushed behind him, keeping a short distance from Tadion, seeming to be ready should the Prince unexpectedly collapse. Lossenel followed Elrohir closely, her stunning face looking distant, and yet so calmed and composed. She could see Legolas quickly moving to Arahaelon's side, once again steading his eldest brother on his feet as the Crown Prince's mask of strength fell, weariness reclaiming his overly pale face. And yet he did not seem aware of his youngest brother helping him to remain upright, his emerald eyes locked on Tadion's back, watching worriedly.

Then, for a split second, his piercing emerald eyes fell on hers, his stare unreadable, penetrating her completely, until she felt completely exposed, unable to look away from his powerful gaze. And yet, he was looking at her differently, his eyes guarded, watchful, as if she were something dangerous that should be approached with caution. A new wave of nerves washed through her petrified body. He knew Amrudir had not missed his shot. The arrow had been deviated. She could feel her hands still shaking, the power of the wind still burning inside her veins, as if it had not yet released her entirely.

As quickly as his eyes had found hers, they turned again to the front, silently rushing along the corridor, leaning on Legolas for support. It took her a moment to realize that she was also moving, Elladan's arm now completely wrapped around her. To her surprise, they were no longer walking, but running, trying to get out of the Palace as quickly as possible.

Everything around her felt more alive than before, every sound sharper, every sight clearer. She could hear the cries of the wind blowing her face as she ran, the raging rain drumming on the ground outside, the murmur of the solid walls. Her eyes remained glued to Tadion, watching the spreading red stain on the side of his tunic, but he did not seem aware of it.

She could see the long stone corridor changing ahead of her, the tall walls suddenly starting to look more like underground caves carved in tall pointed arches above their heads. The hallway seemed to open into a wide space ahead of them, the seemingly endless corridor suddenly turning into a high bridge framed by incredibly high pointed arches, their thin frail columns bracing the sides of the bridge as its only railing.

A now sound reached her ears. Water. Water rushing violently in a strong current. A single look to the side showed that the delicate long bridge ran high above a river, the water looking nearly black from the scarce light, running many meters below them. She could not help but let her eyes look around her in wonder. Had they not been running she would have stopped and simply stare at this unbelievable underground structure underneath the Palace. The bridge upon which they ran was not the only one around. She could see countless more, all of them at different heights, the thin columns that supported them sometimes travelling all the way down into the water.

They soon reached the end of the high bridge, the space around them opening into what seemed to be a large entrance hall. Her suspicions were proven correct as she saw four more guards standing at a large pair of magnificently carved wooden doors. Her heart skipped a beat at the presence of the guards, but her siblings seemed to no longer care if they were spotted or not. There would be guards at any entrance they chose. At this point, they just needed to get out.

"My Lords!" One of the guards exclaimed as he saw them approach, his light blue eyes widening at the sight of Tadion's bloodied tunic. The elf seemed confused, not expecting the presence of the royal family in these parts of the Palace. Tadion did not stop his march, not even when another one of the guards rushed to his aid, also not missing the bleeding wound in his side. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of another guard staring nervously at the Crown Prince, noticing the latter's obvious rely on Legolas for support.

"Open the doors." Tadion commanded, only receiving a bewildered look from the guard that had first spoken.

"My Lord, you cannot be serious." The guard protested. "Can you not hear the danger approaching?" The guard's eyes shifted form Tadion to Arahaelon, confused.

"We need to leave, Turon." Tadion pressed, his voice calmed and at the same time so authoritative. The guard, Turon, seemed perplexed, not willing to let them out into what he knew was a nearly foolish attempt to escape. His anxious eyes kept looking at her and Lossenel, and she could nearly read his thoughts. He seemed to be unable to let two ladies out into the dangerous forest, let alone the two daughters of his King.

For the first time Tadion's feet faltered beneath him, his wound suddenly catching up with him. The guard, Turon, instantly caught the Prince's arm with quick reflexes, his light blue eyes suddenly widening. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Legolas hesitate for a second, feeling the need to help his brother and at the same knowing that Arahaelon would no be able to stand for long without his aid, he was already pushing his strength beyond his limit.

"My Lord!" He exclaimed in a low voice, not letting go of Tadion even as the latter regained his complete balance. "You are bleeding. You need to see a healer, not to go out into the rain."

Tadion silently pulled away from the guard's touch, the latter releasing him entirely only after he had made sure Tadion was steady on his feet. To her relief Elrohir walked to Tadion, not even asking his friend for permission as he grabbed his arm, ready to support him should he stumble again. The guard's eyes then shifted to Arahaleon, nearly begging the Crown Prince to change his brother's mind. Turon seemed to know that Arahaelon would have the final say, and she was sure that whatever the Crown Prince said would be done.

"Turon, please open the doors. And do not let anyone follow us out." Arahaelon's peaceful voice echoed in the large space, the guard suddenly looking defeated. She silently wished for the elf to move quickly, every inch of her body telling her to move. She could hear the wind crying about danger, could still feel her senses overly sharp, a strange power rushing through her, almost holding her hostage, tingling in her fingers.

"Your Highness, you can barely stand." Turon added in a worried tone, even though he moved towards the doors, opening them reluctantly.

Tadion did not hesitate as he rushed out of the doors, Elrohir and Lossenel at his heels. The guard seemed desperate, almost angry with himself for letting them out. She felt Elladan guiding her out, her eyes closing for a second as heavy drops of water fell harshly over her, quickly soaking her hair, making it stick to her face. She pulled up the hood of her cloak in a failed attempt to keep her head dry, and found Elladan doing the same net to her. The rain was freezing, almost making her wonder how it was not snow.

Walking became harder, the heavy curtain of the raging rain making it impossible to see far ahead. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Legolas and Arahaelon had followed them, her two brother's looking equally drenched. The mud made the ground slippery, and she was overly grateful for Elladan at her side as he seemed to know exactly where to step with amazing agility.

She could see another building some distance in front of them, its shape blurred by the grey curtain of water. To her relief, the building seemed to be Tadion's destination. She was already eager to step out of the freezing rain, even though she knew that would not be the case. They would cross through the forest in this ragging storm, whether she felt like it or not.

"_The rain is on our side."_ She heard Elladan's voice inside her head, easily reading her thoughts. _"Tadion, Legolas and Arahaelon know these forests blindly. The orcs on the other hand do not. The rain will just make it harder for them." _

However, before she could say anything in return, he guided her inside the building Tadion had been leading them to. It felt overly nice to have some protection for the heavy rain, even if only for a moment. As she gazed around her, she noticed for the first time where she was. It was not a building. They were in the stables. Her siblings were quickly moving around, Legolas already pulling two horses behind him.

"_You must be freezing." _She let her hand travel to Elladan's, not surprised at all the iced temperature of his slender fingers. Elladan did not answer, only giving her hand a gentle squeeze before placing a kiss on her temple.

"Rëa, can you ride?" She turned around, surprised at the sound of her name. Her eyes instantly found Arahaelon's deep emerald ones, they were once again soft, brotherly. She noticed that the Crown Prince held in his hand the reins of a pure white horse, its mane a silvery color.

"Yes, and very well." She heard Elladan answer for her when she did not show signs of responding. Elladan's melodic voice seemed to bring her back to reality, and she nodded her head. Arahaelon's eyes had turned to gaze at the elder twin, nodding at his words before handing her the reins of the beautiful horse. She took them silently, feeling slightly at a loss. She did not know whether or not to feel good or nervous that Elladan felt she was capable to ride on her own, especially in this dangerous situation. Her right had was still broken, and she knew she would have to maneuver the horse single-handed.

Without saying anything else, he grabbed her by the waist, lifting her effortlessly on the horse's back. His hand then travelled to hers over the reins, liquid silver eyes staring deeply into hers. He did not want to let her ride on her own, she could feel his anxiety through their bond. She remembered the time they had fled from Imladris, remembered how he had remained hunched protectively over her. But she could also see that both of them knew they would ride faster separately. Two elves would only slow the horse's pace.

"I will stay close to you." He told her as he squeezed her hand gently and she smiled at him reassuringly. He seemed to be more scared than she was, and she did not blame him. She knew that she would be equally scared, if not more, if she had learned that the orcs had come looking for Elladan. She would not have been able to leave his side.

"Try to keep your count in the positive numbers this time, Dan. Do not end up in negative one." A gorgeous grin appeared on his face as his eyes narrowed in fake accusation.

"Are we keeping the same count?" She heard Legolas inquiring from her side, noticing that he too was already on the back of his horse, ready for departure. His infinite blue eyes sparkled with excitement and the mention of the counts, and she aimed a failed glare in his direction.

"No, we are not." She found it hard not to laugh as Elrohir's annoyed reply reached her ears. Legolas' count had doubled the younger twin's one on their way to Mirkwood, and the latter was definitely not up to continuing a count in which he already had a disadvantage. Elrohir held the reins of both his and his twin's horses, and she absently watched as both mirror images mounted.

Some distance beside her, Tadion and Arahaelon were equally mounted over their horses, the Crown Prince looking more stable than before once no longer on his feet. Tadion also looked steadier, although she felt a knot in her throat the pale color his face had acquired. On of his hands was wrapped around his middle, his fingers pressed hard over the wound, crimson blood already filtering through them. He seemed to have overcome his initial shock, the pain of the wound finally catching up with him. The Crown Prince was saying something in elvish to his brother, but Tadion did not show signs to be listening.

"That horse is yours, you know?"

"What?" She turned to Legolas, caught out of guard by his voice. Her brother let out a light chuckle, nodding in the direction of the white horse beneath her.

"The horse." He said. "It is yours. I mentioned you owned a horse here in Ada's stables. It was a gift the day you turned one year of age."

She let her eyes look down at horse, a strange feeling taking over her. She remembered Legolas mentioning it before, but it felt different to actually be seeing the noble animal, let alone riding it. Never in her life had she imagined she would own a horse, let alone one as fine as this one, but then again, never in her life had she imagined that she was a Princess of Mirkwood instead of the orphaned gilr she had grown up believing she was.

"What is its name?" A smile played on her face as she questioned her brother. Some distance beside her she could see Lossenel sitting elegantly over an equally white horse, her deep blue cloak contrasting heavenly with her snowy features and the horses white coloring. She looked stunning, sitting on the horse's back with extreme ease.

"It does not have one yet." She let her eyes return to Legolas at the sound of his reply. "You were to name it once you learned to speak. You will have to think of a name."

"Oh, I know one." Her eyes turned to her right at the sound of Elladan's sweet voice. He was already sitting on his horse, ready to depart, his sparkling silver eyes staring deeply into hers, glittering with mischief and mirroring his grin.

"How about 'White'. You know, as in the color." He openly mocked her and she tried her best to glare at him, unable to contain her grin. None of the other elves in the stables understood the joke behind his words. As none of them knew about her duck pet which she had named 'Yellow' when she was naught but a child.

Elladan's eyes met hers for a moment, the gorgeous grin still present in his face. Even as they sparkled mischievously, his silver eyes seemed to open as he stared at her, the mockery easily replaced by a long loving stare, swallowing her entirely, seeming to examine her completely, reading behind her own dark green ones.

"_Are you ready?" _His sweet voice echoed inside her head.

"_Yes."_ She said, although there was little point to her answer, for her siblings had already started to ride, running out into the freezing harsh rain. She guided the horse forward, Elladan staying close to her side.

The rain poured heavily down her head, the iced drops rolling down her face, making her cloak stick uncomfortably to her body. The dense forest would be difficult to ride through in the rain, the branches swaying brutally against one another, the wild wind carrying an unnatural force. To her despair, she found that they were not following the road, but trying to get as far away from it as possible.

A flash of light illuminated the sky, suddenly making everything around her entirely visible for a split second before the forest succumbed to darkness once more. Not even a second after, a loud bang exploded through the air, drowning a surprised cry from her part at the violent thunder. Her senses remained sharp, hearing the call of the rain as if rang in her ears, the grasp of the cold bitter wind as it hit her face. Everything around her felt so reachable, so alive. She could feel powerful presence floating in the forest, merging with the trees and rain, the forest seeming to be acting at the presence's will.

The Palace remained visible to their eyes, the tall building looking majestic in the midst of the raging storms. The many balconies and windows shone with warm light from the fires, framing a space were the bitter cold and drumming rain were nothing but a sight to stare at. But her own eyes caught sight of only one balcony. There, in one of the largest balconies, high above in the Palace stood six figures, the cold rainwashing mercilessly over them. And yet her eyes remained glued on only one.

In the middle of the balcony, and holding onto the railing stood the Elvenking, his tall, royal stance unmistakable even in the distance. His long light blond hair was soaked in rainwater, his fine robes clinging to his body, but he did not move, facing the forests with extreme concentration. Another thunder shook the sky, the sudden bright light reflecting sharply on the King's crown, but her father did not move. Five other elves, guards she could see, stood in a loose protective circle around him, not caring for the pouring rain.

Suddenly, the King's ice blue eyes turned in their direction, noticing them as they moved speedily through the forest, getting farther and farther form the Palace. Even in the distance, her elven sight remained flawless, able to see every detail in the Elvenking's face, wishing to take in every expression in his eyes before the heavy curtain of rain made it impossible. His ice blue eyes met hers, as if he could feel her staring, so powerful, so piercing, and at the same time so broken. For a fragment of a second she caught sight of the expression that appeared on the King's face: Sorrow and pain.

Then, a new loud sound wracked the forest around her, the branches suddenly swaying violently against one another, cracking, stretching. She had to concentrate to maneuver her horse as a branch suddenly closed in before her, sealing her path and clearing one to her left. Elladan pulled his horse closer to hers, avoiding the suddenly shifting branches. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what as happening around them. The forest was shifting, actually moving. The trees grew to their sides, the branches sealing together, tangling in an unsolvable labyrinth to their sides as a new clear path opened in front of them, the branches moving out of their way in a protective tunnel. The King was helping them escape…

Here is chapter 22! Sorry about the long wait! Please let me know what you think!

Also, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! Your words mean a lot to me, and this chapter is especially for all of you! CeffylGwyn, Wtiger5, Coco99, Through Jaded Eyes, Martine9295, dingdongsong, Elf sister, Paperlanterns86, Danda225, FioreDiRosa, world-classgeek, wonderpanda10, Jibril, CalathielKat, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Mary Elrondile, starfire341, ForbiddenShadow0, Limavaa, AmazingWriter123, booklover1598, and my guest reviewers!

Love,

Elena


	23. Escape

The loud noise of the forest quickly shifting around them merged with the raging thunders as they ran through the forest. To her sides, the branches cracked as they stretched suddenly intertwining with one another to make a sealed wall, the sound so could that for a moment she thought she would end up deaf. The iced rain hit her face violently, like bitter knives cutting through her skin and inside her eyes, making it hard to see as she maneuvered the horse through the uneven ground. She could see Elladan to her right, riding close to her, her siblings not too far away either.

Another flash of light brightened her surroundings for a split second, making everything look silver and white before it turned black again, followed by the massive cry of yet another thunder. Her heart drummed loudly inside her chest, her senses sharp, looking rapidly from side to side, ready to make an unexpected turn whenever a branch suddenly blocked her path.

She could no longer see the Palace behind her, its majestic balconies and halls, the may glittering windows under the silver moonlight, vanished into her memories, no more than a picture inside her mind. She could still feel the heavy power floating in the air, accompanying the stretching trees, floating quickly around them as it paved their way. And yet, for the first time the Elveking's power did not only feel like an invisible force floating around her, but it had a concrete path, a concrete direction. She could feel it moving along the way, hear it merging with the desperate cries of the trees.

She did not know what was happening, or how it was happening. It was as if she was once again in the dark stone hallway, watching the arrow flying at Tadion, feeling the wind parting for it. Suddenly her father's presence seemed as reachable and real as the wind had seemed in that moment. She could feel it moving along their path, calling for the trees to move in collaboration. But what scared her the most, was that she could feel not only where it was, but where it would go next. It was almost as if it were guiding her, her senses able to follow where it turned before the branch had even reacted to it.

She could still hear the wind crying in her ears, the constant burning rushing through her veins, her body responding to its calls without her control, fingers tingling lightly. It was more powerful than her, she could not pull back. And yet, it felt so natural. The burning, the strange sense of something she could not control rushing through her veins, the cries of the trees and wind. It all felt natural, effortless. Everything around her seemed so clear, even thought there were moving fast, she could see every detail every leaf, every branch, could hear every sound as if it was the only sound. The rush of adrenaline in her body stopped her from feeling fear, her body acting of pure instinct.

Her eyes fixed on Tadion, riding some distance ahead of her. Her brother had no trouble in guiding the horse through the unexpected labyrinth of trees, knowing the territory expertly. Blood still flowed from his side, his hand, which remained firmly pressed over the wound, was drenched in the crimson liquid, sliding through his fingers and continuing down his tunic. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the ashen complexion of his face. Tadion seemed to be turning paler and paler by the second. The Crown Prince rode close to him, at the front of the line. Arahaelon seemed to be one leading them now, his piercing emerald eyes turning to look at his younger brother every two minutes, as if ready to catch him if needed. To her surprise Arahaelon moved in perfect coordination with her the trees, rapidly turning to left and right as they changed, perfectly guessing ahead of time were they would move.

Her thoughts were quickly drawn into a different path as she suddenly heard something else move some distance to her left. Her heart jumped inside her chest, eyes frantically looking through the forest. She could see nothing but darkness behind the flying tree trucks. Fear started to boil inside of her, merging with the strange power rushing through her veins, begging to be released.

Elladan had pressed himself closer to her, his eyes also fixed on the spot on her left. Her heart jumped again at the sight of him. He had heard the movement too. Suddenly she felt watched, observed. The trees and the rain were not their only company.

Something moved again, this time to their right, rushing far inside the forest. Her eyes flew in that direction, but once again she could not see anything but darkness. Ahead of her, Legolas moved closer to Lossenel, his alert infinite blue eyes also fixed on the dark forest to their sides, reflexes sharp. Her brother held his bow in his hands, an arrow ready to be released.

The trees to her left cried loudly once again, the branches knitting into an intricate wall with amazing speed, the powerful force of her father's presence filtering through them. A short relief washed over her as the wall gave her a slight sense of tranquility, feeling somewhat safe by it. The trees continued to shake, their branches swaying widely ahead, Arahaelon guessing their path with extreme ease.

Something moved again, this time closer to them, to their right. Before her eyes could turn in that direction, she heard movement also to her left, her heart turning inside her chest. Her siblings had pressed closer together, all of them riding next to one another, Elrohir suddenly appearing on her left so that she was in between the twins.

A branch shifted to their right, intertwining into a solid wall of leaves, so fast and suddenly that is seemed to appear out of nowhere, drowning a cry that escaped her throat. A high-pitched cry echoed through the raging rain, coming from the place where the trees had suddenly made a wall. Her blood ran cold inside her veins, her heart stopping for a moment. She knew that cry. She would recognize it anywhere. It was the blood-curling cry of an orc.

Before she had time to think, she heard more movement to her left, too close to them for her liking. Her eyes flew to the dark forest, and for the fist time she saw something shifting and rushing in the between the thick vegetation.

Another tree moved suddenly some distance ahead of them, farther inside the forest, followed by another high-pitched cry. Another wall. But she did not turn her eyes to see, all of her attention on the shifting figure she could see moving quickly through the darkness to her left.

"Legolas!" Arahaelon yelled from the front, and Legolas released an arrow, which cut sharply to the air, producing a sickening cry as it hit its target.

A surprised cry escaped her lips as a tree to her left suddenly joined with another one, their branches suddenly sealing with one another, almost like a cage. Something crashed behind them, the think web of branches the only preventing the creature form reaching them. Her blood turned to ice inside her veins as she saw, in the split flash of lighting, the yellow eyes and distorted face of an orc, crying loudly at the tree that had suddenly hit it, crushing it to pieces.

More trees moved, sometimes close to them, sometimes farther, always followed by a sickening high-pitched cry. Branches continued to shift to their sides, opening a path ahead of them while sealing away everything that dared to come near. She could feel the Elvenking's presence in the power running through the trees, could feel it moving quickly, so clearly and strong that she could nearly see it. It did not take her long to realize what was happening. The King was blocking the orc's path.

Her eyes searched frantically around her, looking for any signs of movement to their sides. Another blood-curling cry echoed through the forest, sounding far away enough from them as to make her feel slightly safer. She could see her siblings also searching their surroundings, but a for a moment the only that could be hear was the violent movement of the trees.

Something else moved to their right, and she barely saw the flash of an arrow as it flew before her eyes, followed by another high-pitched cry. Her eyes lifted to the front, only to find the Crown Prince holding his bow high, still in the position in which he had released the arrow. Another long moment passed as they ran, the only sound the movement of the trees as they paved their way. All of her sense remained alert. She knew the orcs were still close, although she could no longer hear them. It was as of they had backed away, the unpredictable shifts of the forest making their approach impossible.

The Crown Prince continued to guide the way, never hesitating on where to turn, perfectly guessing the direction in which her father would turn the trees. Realization hit her like a wall of brick as she noticed the quick way in which her eldest brother moved through the forest. Arahaelon was not guessing. He was _following_. He could also sense the King's power, moving through the forest, and he could read were it was going.

"Ar." She heard Tadion's frail voice some distance ahead of her. Her head instantly snapped in his direction at the urgency in the short word. The young Prince was slumped on his horse, a bloodied hand holding tightly to his side while his clear blue eyes urged his eldest brother, looking desperate, scared. Tadion's face was far too pale, and even from the distance she could see him swaying slightly, as if about to fall.

The Crown Prince was instantly by his side, his younger brother's tone suddenly seeming to give him some strength his weakened body no longer had. Powerful emerald eyes shot in Tadion's direction, Arahaelon's hand immediately flying to grab his brother's arm, stabilizing him for a moment. Then, in a single graceful movement, her eldest brother jumped behind Tadion, whispering something to his own horse which continued running without its rider. One of Arahaelon's hands wrapped tightly around Tadion's waist, just in time as the latter swayed dangerously, slumping forward. For a moment she was scared that the Crown Prince would not be able to support his brother's weight, but Arahaelon suddenly seemed steadier than before, his powerful emerald eyes burning with a new fire.

Another tree shifted violently, forcing them to take an unexpected sharp turn to their right. Her eyes quickly scanned around her, but she could not yet see any movement that indicated the orcs were still following them, even thought she knew they were there. Elladan shifted even closer to her, his silver eyes darting from side to side, listening intently. His dark hair stuck to his face, soaked in iced water, contrasting sharply against his pale skin.

In front of her, she saw her eldest brother pushing Tadion against his chest, holding him securely as the latter suddenly seemed to go limp in his eldest brother's arms. Arahaelon then stripped Tadion of his bow and quiver - the weapon would be useless in Tadion's current condition- and threw them quickly in Lossenel's direction. To her surprise, her sister caught both things without the slightest effort, carrying them easily in her hands. And yet, the way in which the Princess' delicate hands held the fine wooden bow in the precise place surprised her. Lossenel knew how to use it.

Suddenly her heart froze inside her chest. Something had changed. The trees moved slower now, their cries growing quieter and quieter. Fear settled at the pit of her stomach as she felt the previously strong power of her father starting to quiver. She could no longer trace its path. It seemed to be getting frailer and frailer. Her fear only increased as she saw Arahaelon hesitating at the front, suddenly also unable to detect the King's presence in the trees around them.

They kept running as fast as possible, a new fear driving them. She could no longer tell if they were going in the right direction or not, the trees moving every once in a while, the power that had been driving them becoming weaker and weaker, fragmenting. The Crown Prince, however, continued to move through the forest with the same ease as before, but no longer following a path. No. He was now dependent of his own senses. The fear made the odd tickling in her fingers increase, the strange foreign power burning inside her veins only rising and rising, the rain, trees and wind calling louder to her, inviting her to reach for them, to release in them this burning force that seemed to be growing inside of her, consuming her.

"_Stay close to me."_ Elladan's voice echoed inside her head, and she turned her eyes to meet his sharp silver ones. She knew he could hear the forest growing quiet, growing still. He had drawn his long silver sword, holding it ready to strike. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of Legolas pressing himself closer to his two older brothers, as if he knew that Arahaelon would depend on his aid to defend himself and Tadion.

Then, the forest grew quiet. Nothing moved, the frail trace of her father's power suddenly disappearing entirely. Only the rain, hitting harshly against the silent trees and muddy ground could be heard. Her heart froze, fear only growing inside of her. They were still inside the borders, she was sure. The King should have been able to still reach them with his powers. Something must have happened.

None of them stopped, moving as fast as they could, trying to make the least noise as possible. The silence around them was unsettling, grasping her skin in its cold haunted claws. Lossenel placed an arrow on the bow, ready to shoot if necessary. The effortless way with which the snowy Princess handled the weapon made her wish she knew how to use it, at least to able to defend herself without having to blindly depend on protection from Elladan or one of her brothers. Elrohir had moved close to her sister, his silver eyes watching her attentively, ready to aid her if necessary.

Then, she heard it. A blood curling high-pitched cry. Her heart raced, her eyes flew to scan her surroundings. Motionless tree trunks flew past her as she pushed her horse to ride even faster. She knew it would not take long for the orcs to figure out the forest would no longer lock their path.

Suddenly, much too quick for her liking, she caught movement to their sides, dark things moving through the vegetation, sometimes dangerously close. Arahaelon shot an arrow, followed by one shot by Legolas. Two agonized cries filled the air as the arrows hit the orcs, but the movement to their sides did not lessen. No. It increased.

A black arrow flew through the air, missing Elrohir by inches. Legolas released a second arrow, but more black arrows flew in return, barely missing them. She tired her best to maneuver the horse through the forest, trying to avoid the arrows she could hear flying all around her. She was now using both of her hands, her broken right hand protesting painfully at the movement, sending a sharp pain all the way to her elbow.

Lossenel shot, hitting an orc with the same perfect aim as her brothers. But the movement continued, growing closer and closer. The rain hit her face bitterly, water sliding down her drenched golden hair, sticking her cloak awkwardly to her body. The branches moved to her side, something pushing through them.

A scream died in her throat as a nasty creature suddenly jumped at her, meeting the sharp edge of Elladan's sword before it could touch her. Her heart stopped, fear consuming her. The orcs were over them. Her siblings kept shooting arrows, all of them dashing through the forest, pushing their horses to ride faster. But the orcs were coming closer and closer, their sickening cries echoed from every side now.

The orcs were over them, suddenly jumping out of the thick vegetation, only to find the edges of her siblings' swords. Arrows seemed useless now, and her blood turned to ice as she realized what this meant. This was a battle. They had to continue running before they caught in it. She knew that if the large number of orcs reached them, there would be no way out. Tadion was already ruled out, and Arahaelon was in no condition to fight for long. She knew that she of no use in a fight, and although her sister seemed capable with the bow, she knew the Princess would not be able to handle a fight. That only left three of them. Three to protect four.

More orcs jumped at them, coming form every place. Elrohir swung his sword sharply, quickly reacting before the orc had a chance to think, but a second one came from behind him. The younger twins moved fast, slashing the nasty creature in a move so fast she was not sure she had seen it. She could also see Arahaelon swinging his sword at yet another pair of orcs that jumped to his right.

The wind cried, ringing in her ears with its head splitting intensity. She could feel its pull, the sensation rushing through her veins becoming stronger and stronger, the urge to succumb to it nearly unbearable. It was already inside of her, part of it had already claimed her, filtered into her spirit, possessing her.

Metal hit metal. Swords clashed against swords. She was barely aware of the battle going on around her as she concentrated on pushing her horse forward, running alongside Elladan. She pushed the cries back into her mind, ignoring the constant drumming of the rain, and the new call from the trees. She felt strange, almost dizzy, her head pounding. Everything about her body called her to answer the cries of the wind, to merge with its power as she had done before, and it felt so natural to just allow it inside her mind. She could hear Vilya in the wind, its incessant whispers calling to her desperately, but she did not dare let it in.

Everything was happening so fast she barely had time to register anything. She forced her horse to her right, narrowly avoiding a tree trunk in her way. In front of her she saw Elrohir slashing yet another orc, pushing Lossenel out of the way. Another blood curling cry flew through the bitter night air. More orcs jumped, Elladan moving close to her, his silver eyes moving frantically around her, hitting with his sword every single orc that neared her. Her heart raced inside her chest. They were desperate. The rocs were too many. Arahaelon was struggling, keeping a tight hold on the unconscious Tadion while trying to avoid every orc that jumped their way.

Then, before she could even know what was happening one of the nasty creatures jumped at Elrohir from behind. Elladan moved faster than ever, coming to his twin's aid immediately. She could feel his fear through their bond, the elder twin rapidly killing the orc before it could harm his brother. But in his rush to help his twin, Elladan was not fast enough to anticipate another orc that jumped at him from his right.

Her heart froze. She screamed but no sound came. The repulsive beast had jumped at Elladan's back, slamming against the elder twin with a force that made her scream in fright. She felt a flash of pain, pure agonizing torturing pain emanating from Elladan, but the feeling was gone in seconds. Her eyes were wide, fixed on the spot in which the orc's dark blade had violently cut through Elladan's lower back.

She screamed, her voice dying in the raging rain. Someone grabbed her suddenly and she kicked, but the hold on her was too steady, the person who was holding her suddenly jumping behind her on her horse. Legolas. She recognized him immediately. She pushed to get to Elladan's side, but Legolas had taken the reins in his hand, his other arm holding her tightly against him, moving the horse quickly through the trees, desperately trying to take her away from the ambush of orcs. Away from Elladan.

She screamed and kicked but Legolas was too strong for her. Her brother's body was hunched protectively over hers as they moved through at an amazing speed through the trees. She could see Lossenel close to their left, staying as close to Legolas as possible. She searched around her frantically and it did not take her long to once again spot the twins. Elrohir had climbed on the horse behind Elladan, hunching over him in the same way that Legolas hunched over her, but unlike her, Elladan was not kicking or screaming. Elladan was not moving, one of his hands pressed tightly to his face while the other held on the reins for dear life, over Elrohir's steady grip.

Legolas suddenly moved, and she barely noticed an orc falling dead to their right. She could see Arahaelon moving closer to Elrohir, yelling something in elvish at the younger twin. More orcs kept falling on them, but both the Crown Prince and Elrohir moved quickly enough to block any attacks. She tried to reach Elladan through their bond was face with a wall of agonizing pain that made her immediately push back, unable to handle it.

Vilya cried again, louder inside her mind, her head feeling as if it would split. The burning sensation on her veins grew stronger, the sounds around her sharper. Metal against metal, boots falling on the muddy ground, the rain hitting harshly on the trees, the wind blowing on her face, the trees calling to her, merging with Vilya's cries. She could not hold it back, and without she could know it she was letting herself be drawn to those forces, their sounds and calls only becoming louder and clearer as she allowed them in. She found Vilya first. It was the strongest call, ringing in her ears possessing her its unintelligible whispers. She felt its power dash through her, from the tip of her fingers to the inner walls of her skull. It felt incredibly natural, incredibly right.

The strong unmanageable power burned inside her veins, becoming physically painful to bear, and still it felt right. It swallowed her completely, finding the strange force that had been building inside of her since the arrow had been shot at Tadion, and suddenly it was too much to bear. She had to release the power. She never knew if it was her doing, or it had been the fascinating blue stoned ring what had caused what happened next. Neither did she knew who had been calling on who, but before she could know what was happening, the burning inside her veins became too much to handle, and she felt an unbearable force releasing from her body and into the wind, as if the cold harsh air was sucking the energy from her.

She was barely aware of Legolas' arm tightly securing her against him. The wind suddenly ragged, drawing its force from the deepest of her being. Her soaked hair slapped against her face, and then without her understanding what was happening she felt it blow harder than ever, like a full force explosion radiating form her. She distantly heard the orcs cry in despair, an unimaginable force knocking them out of their senses. She felt the wind crying louder and louder, demanding her to release more energy, sucking it from her without her consent. She felt as if her entire spirit was being pulled away, taken by the raging wind.

Then it suddenly stopped, something else blocking it, a flash of bright blue light cutting the connection before it could pull her entirely. She slowly came back to her senses. The forest continued to fly past them. They had continued running. She noticed that the forest was once again silent, except for the pounding of the rain on the mud. The orcs were gone, not able to fight against the sudden force of the wind.

She felt weak, slumped against Legolas' strong chest, her head feeling as if it would split in half. And yet, she felt different. it was not the kind of weakness she always felt after one of the mind attacks. No. She could still feel an odd sensation in the tips of her fingers, a tingling running through her veins, where the grasp of the ring remained holding on to her, no longer acting through her, but not entirely releasing her. She could not tell if it was the blue stoned ring gripping onto her, or if it was her spirit that griped to the ring's power. They seemed merged, the sudden fusion so strong that they could not be separated so quickly from one another.

Then, she saw something in front of them that called the attention of her weak mind. Some distance ahead, she could see light. Tiny orange flickering lights shone behind the thick rain curtain, just beyond the spot where the forest seemed to suddenly end into a large clearing. She did not know for how long they had been riding, or how long it had taken for her to fully come to her senses after Vilya had merged with her spirit. She had felt it as a split second, but the sudden end of the forest and appearance of the lights told her that it had probably been longer than she thought. It was a town of men. Even in the distance and behind the grey heavy rain, she could perfectly recognize the plain disorganized architecture that composed the town's of men. Relief washed over her at the sight of the orange lights, coming closer and closer. They would be safe. They had to make it there.

She could see Arahalon running in front of them, leading the way. The Crown Prince seemed. It was still dark, but she could tell that it would be dawn in a couple of hours. Her eyes turned to her left, immediately finding what she had been looking for. Elrohir held Elladan against him for support, the younger twin's silver eyes fixed on the town ahead with an urgency that made her insides tie into tight knots. Her heart sunk to the cold wet ground as she saw transparent fear Elrohir's usually kind silver eyes. She wanted to scream again, to kick and push to get to Elladan's side, but her body felt too weak for that, the strange power of the ring still tingling to her, not having released her entirely.

Elladan had not moved since the last time she had seen him. One of his hands remained tightly pressed against his face, as if to hide his tightly shut eyes and pained expression. His other hand continued to hold on the reins, over his twin's hand. She could not see the wound on his back, obscured by Elrhoir's body as it supported him upright, but she had felt the blow of it, had felt the first splitting pain as it crushed through him before he had contained it where it would not reach her. But she did not need to see the wound, the urgent look in Elrohir's silver eyes spoke louder than any words she had ever heard.

Her heart raced faster as they finally reached the town, which had seemed to grow farther and farther as they became nearer and nearer. The sound of the horseshoes hitting the stone roads suddenly felt like music to her ears, the plain, tall wooden walls of the too tightly clustered building to their sides, suddenly the most beautiful sight she had seen. The streets were empty due to the late hour, and she noticed that the lights she had seen in the distance where only coming from very few of the buildings, the majority of the houses having their windows in complete darkness.

The heavy raindrops ran down her face, although there were no more lightings or deafening thunders, to her relief. Arahaelon moved quickly through the roads, seeming to know exactly were he was going, and she found the rest of them following without questioning. They stopped at some stables placed to the side of one of the largest buildings in the charmless town. It was one o the few buildings that still had windows shining with the candlelight inside.

A man suddenly rose from a chair placed in the shadows. He looked old, gray hair falling in a dirty disarray to his chin, and he walked slightly hunched. A drenched dark cloak stuck to his heavy body as he walked in their direction with an air of annoyance, clearly not interested in visitors. The old man's eyes lifted up to question the newcomer, and in that split second she saw a different expression flash through his aged eyes as they fell on Arahaelon's hooded form. For a moment, the man froze, his mouth hanging slightly open as his eyes tried to believe the sight before them. She guessed that it was not everyday the man received a group of seven elves into the town. Moreover, the man did not miss the way in which Tadion lay unconscious against Arahaelon, or the way in which Elrohir held Elladan tightly.

"I assume you would be requiring rooms to stay?" The man's voice was raspy, his teeth yellow under an awkwardly growing grey beard. She did not see who nodded his head in reply, but certainly someone did for the man continued to speak. "You can leave your horses here and I will come care for them in a minute. I will go ahead and inform for rooms to be readied as soon as possible."

The man did not say anything else as he quickly disappeared into the large plain building, his heavy footsteps splashing in the puddles over the stone road. Another look at the building told her that it was not a house, but a place where travelers could stay for the time of their visit. The loud noises her sharp elven hearing could detect coming from the ground floor informed her that there was a tavern there, and by the looks of it there were still men drinking at this late hour.

Legolas jumped down first, carefully helping her down to her feet. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Lossenel doing the same, landing overly gracefully on her feet. It took her a moment to remain steady on her feet, but to her surprise, even in her exhaustion she was able to stand on her own. Then, without saying another word, Legolas rushed to Arahaelon's side, the Crown Prince visibly struggling on the brink of consciousness.

She watched, paralyzed, as Legolas carefully carried Tadion's limp body down, hurrying inside the building without a single word. Lossenel aided Arahaelon to dismount and her heart felt heavier inside her chest as her eldest brother leaned desperately on the stunning Princess. She felt frozen, her throat constricted, the constant tingling still running through her veins, gripping to her spirit.

Then, she saw Elrohir, carefully taking Elladan in his arms as he too dismounted. Her inside twisted, suddenly making it hard to breath. Elladan's hands gripped his twin's shoulders fiercely, Elrohir supporting nearly all of his weight. Elladan seemed to be having an extremely difficult time walking, the wound in his lower back making moving almost excruciating. His silver eyes did not catch hers, did not even turn in her direction. She forced her body to move, taking frantic steps in Elladan's direction but was suddenly stopped by Arahaelon.

"No." The Crown Prince's voice was steady, holding to the last remains of his long ago faded strength. Piercing green eyes penetrated hers intently, powerful, making her freeze on her place. "Almarëa, you need to calm yourself. Do not go after him now, you will do him no good."

"No! Let me go to him!" She tried to walk past him, to ignore him, but he but her way once more, his piercing emerald eyes looking at her so intently she felt small, watching her, studying her,, as if she was a dangerous thing.

"Almarëa, no!" He hissed at her, authoritative, although still gentle, trying to make her see reason where she could find none. "You are not yet your own self. Wait until whatever it is has taken control of you releases you." His penetrating green eyes watched her, his voice demanding, heavy with undeniable command.

But she did not want to listen now. She felt desperate. She grabbed him by the arm, determined to walk past him, but the moment her hand came in contact with his skin he pulled away forcefully, as if she had stabbed him in the arm.

"Do not touch me!" He yelled suddenly, backing away from her with immediate reflexes, once again leaning onto an expressionless Lossenel. His forest green eyes were wide, burning for a split second with a sudden fear that made her back away in response, away from him. She froze, staring at him, the echo of his loud words still ringing in her ears. She had never imagined Arahaelon to be able to yell. He was always so calmed and composed, so patient. He stood there, facing her, breathing heavily. Then, the fierce hostility in his eyes slowly vanished, simply staring at her, unmoving, emerald irises suddenly becoming softer.

"Almarëa…"She heard Arahaelon breaking the cold bitter silence, his voice a frail gentle sound, melted emerald eyes looking apologetic, as if trying to take back his reaction. She did not move, afraid to react in any way, frozen, her throat tight. It was as if her entire heart had sunk to the ground, leaving her feeling empty, feeling alone.

She simply stood there, thankful for the rain running down her face, erasing the trails of the first tears that fell unnoticed from her eyes. Lossenel readjusted her hold on her eldest brother, the latter suddenly loosing the last bits of strength he had, leaning all of his weight on his younger sister. The Princess' eyes remained glued on the muddy ground, not meeting hers even when she desperately searched fro them, her face expressionless, ad at the same time broken, sad. Arahaelon opened his mouth again, but no sound came, instead he slumped even more on Lossenel, and she was forced to watch in silence as the Princess turned around, gently leading her eldest brother into the dry interiors of the plain looking building, without a single word, leaving her the hollow murmurs of the rain as only company until she found in herself the strength to follow them inside…

Here is chapter 23! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think! I will try to update as soon as I can!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! ZabuzasGirl, Ithilenthiel Peredhel, world-classgeek, AmazingWriter123, Kirschflower, booklover1598, Danda225, Foxyloxylegolas1, Through Jaded Eyes, Martine9295, BigFanOfYou, Paperlanterns86, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Jibril, wonderpanda10, SarahWeasley, Mary Elrondile, CeffylGwyn, Wtiger5 and my guest reviewer!

I still have not had the chance to send you all personal replies to your reviews but I will as soon as possible!

Love,

Elena


	24. Falling, Falling, Falling

The echo of her silent footsteps bounced hollowly on the plain, empty wooden walls as she slowly climbed the narrow staircase, her invisible shadow her only companion. Everything felt so distant, so unreachable to her senses, the sights, the sounds, so far away, like the foggy images of a forgotten dream. Her feet continued to carry her on their own, driving her without her mind ever knowing where. She could hear voices upstairs, feet rushing along a narrow, plain hallway, long shadows chasing behind them.

Her soaked clock dripped underneath her footsteps, the garment sticking to her figure with a cold grasp, bracing her with trapping arms as iced and harsh as the rainy night outside this plain building. Her insides felt empty, her heart sinking so deep inside of her that she could no longer reach it, could no longer feel its incessant drumming on her chest as only reminder that she was still alive. Her throat felt tight, tied in a knot, and something she could not quite name burned inside her veins: anger, rage, pain, despair. She did not know.

She reached the top of the stairs, although she did not know how long the journey there had taken her. Upstairs, the building consisted of a plain wooden hallway, various simple doors placed on either side of it. She walked, her feet moving without her even realizing it. The tingling in her fingers had disappeared, the strange force that had been burning inside her veins begging to be released vanished, and suddenly she felt more alone than ever; emptier than ever.

She walked past a half-opened door, stopping at the doorframe to peek inside the small room, although she already knew who was inside of it. Her heart sank even further as her eyes caught sight of Tadion, lying motionless on one of the beds inside the room. He looked peaceful, as if he was merely sleeping, except for the way in which his eyes were unusually closed in his sleep and the new white bandages that covered his bare torso. At least attention had already been paid to his wound.

Lossenel sat at the edge of the bed, one of her pale hands carefully stroking her younger brother's golden hair, so gently, so soothingly, as if trying to lull him to sleep, even though he could not feel the tenderness of her hand. The Princess' stunning ice green-blue eyes seemed dulled somehow, empty of their usual light. It was a sight she did not like seeing in her sister's eyes.

She let her eyes drift to the other bed in the room, trying to make herself small and unnoticeable in the shadowed doorframe. The Crown Prince lay on the other bed, only a couple of feet away from Tadion and Lossenel. Arahaelon seemed fast asleep, or no longer conscious, she could not tell which it was. His face was far too pale, just as Tadion's, eyes equally closed. He looked overly exhausted. She felt the knot in her throat tighten, her heart shattering as her eyes stared at him. His sudden outburst still played inside her head, her heart constricting to a point in which it felt almost like physical pain. She had not seen that coming. She felt hurt, angry, rejected. Did he blame her for Tadion's injury? For this unexpected journey out of the safety and comfort of their home? Part of her could not help but feel guilty, although the other part of her knew that none of it was her fault, she could not control anything.

Lossenel's eyes lifted in her direction, as if she had felt her quiet presence standing in the doorway. Dull ice colored eyes met hers, stained with sorrow. Different from what she had expected, her sister's eyes were soft, welcoming, looking at her with a strange mixture of regret and apology. She immediately lowered her eyes, not knowing what to make of the Princess' expression, but certainly not in the mood for any kind of conversation. Instead, she quickly walked away.

"Almarëa?" She heard Lossenel softly calling her name behind her, her sister's musical voice sounding faint, hesitantly, like a hopeless plea she knew would not be answered.

She did not turn around. She could not turn around. Her feet dragging her empty body along the dimly lit corridor, to the other room in which she could hear Elrohir's voice. The sound was clear to her ears, but her mind could make out any words. Everything felt so foggy, happening so fast, and at the same time so slow, as if her mind was allowing her to absorb bits and pieces of her surroundings, while on the remaining time it focused on crushing her insides, constricting her throat and digging a hole trough her heart.

She could hear voices: Legolas and Elrohir. She could see their shadows from the other side of the opened door. Her feet walked faster, her breathing coming quicker as a sole thought engulfed her entire mind: Elladan. She reached the opened door in seconds, but could not go any further. Her heart jumped inside her chest, beating loudly as her chest constricted painfully, her body frozen.

She tried to breath, but it was becoming harder and harder, the knot in her throat only getting tighter. She felt in a daze, as if her mind was trying to fool her by telling her that the image in front of her eyes was not real. Elladan was lying on his stomach on the only bed inside the room. His soaked cloak and tunic had been removed, his back completely bare as Elrohir hovered over him, Legolas at his heels. A large wound was opened in Elladan's lower back, but she could not see the extent of the damage due to the alarming amount of blood flowing freely from it, staining the room with its sick coppery smell.

She could feel her body starting to tremble, all of her senses telling her to run to him, to hold his hand to stroke his head to kiss his face, but she could not move. She could not get herself to walk inside. Elrohir's silver eyes shone with fear, a kind of fear and urgency that make her own worry and anxiety grow triple. Legolas was pressing a cloth tightly against Elladan's back, in a failing attempt to stop the bleeding. Her brother's infinite blue eyes held the same urgent look as Elrohir, and he kept throwing desperate glances in the younger twin's direction. Elrohir's hands ran urgently down his twin's back, probing carefully, examining if the blow had caused any damage to his brother's spine.

"Elrohir, he is loosing too much blood." Legolas pressed and a look of despair crossed Elrhoir's gaze for a second, seeming to hesitate on what to do, whether or not he should forget about his task of examining Elladan's spine. She could already see an aggressive large bruise covering the middle of the elder twin's back, larger than her open palm, marking the place where the orc had slammed against him.

She felt as if a hand had been pressed to her neck, her body shaking without her able to control it. Legolas' eyes darted in her direction once, meeting her dark green ones. He tried to offer her a smile, but it did not look reassuring at all, and his gaze quickly lowered once again to focus on the wound on Elladan's back, pressing the cloth tighter.

Her attention quickly turned to Elladan, her heart shattering in a million pieces under a sight she was sure would haunt her dreams. The elder twin was overly pale, beads of sweat covering his ashen skin. The muscles on his back were tensed in agony, his hands gripping the pillow with a force that could almost rip the open. She could not see his face, pressed tightly against the pillow. His breathing was shallow and quick, and she could see him growing paler and paler by the second, as if every drop of blood inside of him was drifting out of his body, draining all of his strength with it. Elrohir's eyes did not look at his twin, as trying to only focus on his wound, his expression as hard as stone.

"Elrohir." Legolas pressed again, and the younger quickly turned in his direction, finished with his examination. She could feel her body trembling, fear wracking her senses. Elrohir hands moved quickly, looking over the wound, pressing yet another cloth at it, instruction Legolas to do some things, but she was no longer paying attention to their words. Elladan seemed to be on the brink of consciousness, no longer completely aware of his surroundings as he sharply tensed and pulled away from his twin's hands, trying in vain to escape the torturing pain.

She shut her eyes tightly, he feet rushing away from the scene, even though her mind kept yelling at her to run inside, to hold Elladan, to try to ease his pain. And yet her body was fleeing, rushing out into the hallway, not knowing where to go. Breathing was too hard; despair holding her in its caging claws.

She suddenly stopped, paralyzed in between the door concealing Elladan and the door concealing her siblings. She had never felt so lost, so despaired, so frightened. Something wet covered her cheeks, and only did she realized she was crying. She felt herself falling, falling into a dark, endless abyss, Arahaelon's word's chocking her from the inside, accompanied by the bloodied image of Elladan's back, of Tadion's bandaged torso.

She hit the wooden floor with her knees, making herself small against the edge of the hallway, pressing herself to the cold humid wall, feeling the empty wood absorbing every bit of warmth inside her body. She continued to shake, not aware of anything around her, only hearing distant sounds, seeing blurry shadows. The seconds merged with the beats of her drumming heart, hours dancing before her empty eyes, time becoming as hollow and lost as her insides, until she could no longer tell if she had been there for hours, or days. Everything around her looked black, although her eyes were open and seeing. Everything around her was silent, although her ears caught the echo of voices along the hallway. She could hear someone saying a word in the distance, but was not sure if it was only a product of her mind. The voice repeated the word. Too distant. She could not understand what it said. The voice spoke again. Her name. Someone was calling her name. Slowly she came back to her senses. She was still sitting on the dimly lit hallway, her small body curled against the cold wall.

"Rina?" She slowly turned her head in the direction of the gentle voice, her void eyes taking their time to recognize a pair of kind silver eyes staring back at her. Elrohir. How long had she been sitting there?

Elrohir's gentle silver eyes stared into hers, patient, sympathetic, and she noticed that one of his hands lay softly on her shoulder. He had been shaking her slightly. The younger twin slimed faintly at her, a smile that did not reach his soothing silver eyes. She could feel him carefully studying her, looking at her as if she was made of fragile glass. She immediately looked into his eyes, a new urgency suddenly visible in her own green eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her before she could pronounce a word.

"He is fine." His voice was calmed, as soothing and comforting as it always was. Relief did not come to her as she had expected it would. She knew what Elrohir's words meant. Elladan was alive, and he would recover. But Elladan was _not _fine. He was far from fine. Elrohir's hands travelled to her cheek, thumbs softly wiping away the trace of her tears.

Gently, he pulled her to her feet, her body feeling like a ragged doll, easily letting him guide her in the direction of Elladan's room. Elrohir kept an arm around her shoulders, the other holding to her arm as she walked. Suddenly she was overly glad for his soothing presence, which seemed to calm her wracked nerves. His touch felt so comforting, so warm against the cold bitter air.

Elladan was still lying on his stomach, white bandages covering the lower half of his bare back. He was no longer moving, his body limp on the bed, and she could see that pillows had been arranged around him to prevent him from rolling over in his sleep. Her heart sank once again, her feet instantly moving in his direction. He looked pale, far too pale, his dark hair splattered over the pillow in sharp contrast.

"He lost a dangerous amount of blood, but he will heal completely." She heard Elrohir telling her softly as she made her way to the bed. A hole expanded in her already shattered heart. Elladan looked so frail, so vulnerable. She stretched a hand to brush away a strand of dark hair form his face, but stopped mid-way, scared to touch him.

"He is unconscious." Elrohir informed, his voice merely a faint whisper. She absently noticed that he had walked to her side, watching over her. "He passed out early on, so he did not feel anything as I cleaned and stitched the wound. He is lucky that wound did not cause any permanent damage."

Slowly, she let her hand gently caress against Elladan's cheek, her heart sinking further at the unusually cold temperature of his skin. He did not stir, did not react in the slightest to her touch. He could not feel it. She had known that beforehand, but still the fact that he did not react felt like a new stab to her chest. Silently, she placed a strand of dark hair behind his pointed ear before letting herself drop to the floor, kneeling next to the bed. She did not want to sit on the mattress for fear that she might disturb him, even though she knew he would not wake.

"You should get some rest, Rina." Elrohir whispered to her, although she could hear the defeat in his voice that told her he already knew she would not move from her spot. "You are well past exhausted."

"I will be fine." She heard her voice answering although she never commanded her mouth to speak.

Her eyes remained fixed on Elladan's face, which was facing her over the soft pillow, roaming over his closed silver eyes and over his handsome features. She could distantly hear Elrohir moving around the room, and absently noticed him placing a chair next to her, facing the bed, but he did not force her to sit on it. Then, she felt him gently place a warm blanket over her shoulders, not even telling her to rise from the floor. Her eyes lifted to meet his sad silver ones, staring at her with a pained expression. She tried to smile at him in thanks, but was sure that her attempt must have looked pathetic.

"I will be in the next room with Legolas. Wake me if anything changes." She heard Elrohir telling her in a soft comforting voice, offering her another sad smile. The younger twin's silver eyes darted to his brother once more before he walked to the door, clear pain staining his silver irises. She knew that leaving his twin's side was not an easy task for him.

"You can stay here if you wish, Ro. You do not have to go." Her voice sounded frailer than she imagined, and Elrohir stopped in his march, turning his gentle silver eyes to look in her direction.

The younger twin smiled faintly at her, shaking his head lightly. "You watch over him. I am sure he would rather wake up to your company than mine."

She was not sure if his comforting words made her feel better or not, but she nonetheless gave him another pitiful attempt of a smile. Without another word, Elrohir turned around, once again headed towards the door. The golden rays of the sun threatened to filter through the dark closed curtains. It had already dawned. A painful hole settled in her stomach as she remembered the date.

"Ro." She called, and she heard him halt just as he opened the door, once again turning to face her.

"Yes?"

"Happy begetting day."

Elrohir's kind silver eyes met hers, looking pained and at the same time lighted with a new expression. A faint smile drew on his lips, very small, but real. He did not say anything else and after a second she heard the door closing silently behind him.

Time dance before her eyes once again. Seconds stretched into minutes, minutes into hours, until she lost track. She did not move from her spot, her mind feeling like a turmoil of thoughts she could not order. Her hand slowly stroked Elladan's long dark hair, or caressed his cheek, or gently traced the length of his eyebrows. She was exhausted, she could feel it, but she knew that even if she tried, she would not be able to sleep, her mind would not be able to rest.

She did not know how many hours had gone by, if it was still morning or already afternoon when the faintest of moans suddenly brought her drifting thoughts back to reality. Her eyes flew to Elladan. He was beginning to stir. She continued to soothingly stroke his hair, watching his brow knit together in pain as he began to regain consciousness. For a second, she wished he would not wake, knowing that he would have to face the pain form his wound if he did.

Another faint sound escaped his lips, but she could not tell what it was. Making up her mind she rushed to her feet, determined to get Elrohir before Elladan woke up entirely. However before she made it to the door, the same opened suddenly, the younger twin standing at the doorway, looking at her. He must have felt Elladan starting to wake. Elrohir's eyes flew to the bed, where his assumptions were quickly confirmed, then he shook his head lightly.

"He should not be waking still." Elrohir muttered, and she was sure who he was talking to. Then his silver eyes turned to her. "I will mix him something for the pain. I will be right back."

The younger twin did not wait for an answer on her part, quickly leaving the room to complete his task. She returned to the side of the bed, her hand flying to gently grasp Elladan's unmoving one as she once again dropped herself to her knees, for her face to be at the level of his. Elladan had tensed, his body trembling slightly, handsome face lined with pain. She caressed his forehead gently, brushing away some strands of hair as she leaned her face closer to his.

"Dan?" She whispered in a barely audible voice, as if scared that loud noises would disturb him. His breathing had quickened, and she could feel the hand she was holding starting to move, his slender fingers loosely curling around hers, too weary to manage a steady grip. "Dan, can you hear me?"

"Rina?" He rasped, half of the sound dying before he had finished pronouncing the word, but she understood it nonetheless. She pressed a hand to his cheek, her thumb carefully caressing the end of his dark eyebrow. His silver eyes opened only halfway, as if his eyelids were too heavy to lift them entirely. His eyes were dazed, unfocused, and she felt her chest constricting once more as she saw him trying to make out her face in the blur that he was probably seeing. Pain was clearly visible in his confused silver eyes, their usual strength gone.

"I am here, Dan." She answered immediately, leaning closer to him as she saw his eyes close tight once again, another pained expression crossing his overly pale face. Her hand continued to gently rest on his cheek and he leaned into her touch as if trying to hide himself in her hand, desperate to escape his misery. Then his mouth opened again, and he muttered something to her, but she could not make out the words. His voice was too low, barely pronouncing each word.

"Dan, I cannot hear you." She replied softly, leaning closer to hear what he was trying to say, desperate to know what he needed. He spoke again, the words slurred, merging with one another, and she only caught pieces of what he was saying. Panic crossed her heart like a piercing dagger. Elvish. He was speaking in sindarin. She had no clue what he was trying to say.

"Dan, I cannot understand you." She tried, letting her hand brush through his hair and gently rub his bare upper back. "My love, I do not speak sindarin."

His silver eyes open half-way once more, trying to focus on her face. He spoke again, leaning into her touch as she continued to rub his back soothingly, trying to offer the little comfort she could. She had never felt so desperate. She could not understand what he was trying to tell her, not a single word. She knew he could not distinguish he was speaking another language. In her despair she tried to reach him through their bond, trying to understand what it was he needed, but his mind was too foggy, none of his thoughts clear, she could not read anything but pain.

Her heart jumped with hope as she heard the door opening. She lifted her eyes quickly, relived to see Elrohir rushing to her side, a steaming cup in his hands. The younger twin's silver eyes were glued on his brother, frantically examining him. Elladan repeated his mumbled phrase and to her release Elrohir answered, in the same musical language she could not understand. She felt utterly useless as Elladan closed his eyes once more, finally getting an answer to his words. She instantly rose to her feet, to allow Elrohir to come closer to the bed, and the younger twin quickly placed the cup he had been holding on the tiny bedside table.

"Dan, we need to move you so that you can drink the draught, alright?" Elrohir's voice was soothing, the way one speaks to a sleeping child, as she saw Elladan's eyes open to look at his twin, nodding his head once in understanding. Extremely carefully, she helped Elrohir rolling Elladan onto his back, the younger twin arranging some pillows behind his brother's back, propping him up. Elladan's eyes were shut tightly in pain, the slight movement more than he could take.

Elrohir did not waste time, immediately helping the steaming cup to his twin's lips. She stood there, unmoving, unable to do anything, simply watching. Elladan drank slowly from the cup, not even attempting to hold it in his hands, as if he knew he would not be able to carry its weight. In short minutes he had finished the draught, and she wakened from her daze as she saw Elrohir placing the now empty cup back on the bedside table. She noticed that Elladan's eyes were tightly closed once more.

"Dan, do you want to lie on your stomach again?" She could hear Elrohir asking, his voice soothing, no longer a healer but a brother. Elladan shook his head wearily. He did not want to move.

"Rina?" Elladan rasped again, not opening his eyes.

"I am still here." She said instantly, moving to sit at the edge of the bed, opposite to where Elrohir sat. Elladan did not say anything else, but only leaned into her touch as she once again let her hand gently stroke his hair. To her greatest relief he somehow relaxed under her touch, although the pained expression never left his face. It felt like an eternity before the draught started making an effect, Elladan slowly relaxing, drifting off into a deep dreamless sleep. Neither Elrohir nor her moved for a while, simply sitting there, silently.

"What was he saying?" She broke the silence, her voice a faint threat hanging in the air. She could not name what she was feeling, but the fact that she had not been able to understand Elladan felt like the drop that spilled the cup. She felt frustraded, desperate, a deep anger starting to boil inside of her. She knew nothing, and no one seemed to be wanting to explain anything to her.

Elrohir's kind silver eyes lifted to meet hers, so gentle and sympathetic, as if he could read her thoughts inside her own eyes. She knew the younger twin did not have the answers that she needed. She knew he knew nothing more than she did about her past, about her powers, about the reason why the Crown Prince had suddenly pushed away so bitterly, but still she could not help but feel frustrated.

"He was asking for a pain reliever, that was all."

That was all. She knew Elrohir was just trying to soothe her, to make her feel better, but she did not feel any better. Elladan had been asking her for something to relieve his pain, and she had not understood anything, had not been able to help him. The younger twin seemed to be able to read her frustration, her rage at no one specifically for he continued speaking.

"Rina, he was disoriented. He could not tell he was speaking sindarin. You could do nothing about that." Elrohir tried again, and she let her eyes meet his once more, trying to offer him a reassuring smile.

"Go get some rest." Elrohir commanded, although his voice remained as comforting and soft as ever. "Or at least go out get some fresh air. You need a break, or you are going to drown in your frustration. I will stay here, and I promise I will send for you if he wakes again, although he should sleep for some hours still."

She nodded her head, her thoughts once again a turmoil she could not put in order. She felt hurt, angry, confused, helpless, angry again. Silently she rose from the bed. She would go outside. She knew that she would not be able to sleep, no matter how tired her body felt, but at least she needed air and time to think. She grabbed a spare piece of parchment that had been lying over the small desk in the room, and something that looked like a small charcoal next to it. At least she would try to draw and distract herself. She threw Elrohir one last glance, smiling faintly in thanks before she left the room, once again walking down the narrow, empty corridor.

The door that let to the room in which her siblings were was once again half-way open, and she could not help from peeking inside. She did not know what time it was, or how many hours had gone by since the last time she had peeked at them. Arahaelon had awakened and he was now sitting on the edge of Tadion's bed, looking strong and powerful, not a single sign of the poison left in his body.

The Crown Prince's hand softly stroked his younger brother's hair, the way one does to a small child, a smile present on his handsome face, reaching his melted emerald eyes. She could see Lossenel sitting casually on her eldest brother's lap, even though there was plenty of space on the bed. She had an arm looped over his shoulders, and she could hear her saying something to her brother as she smirked, whatever she had said causing Arahaelon to laugh in return.

Tadion was also awake, siting up on the bed against the wooden headboard. He still looked pale, but he looked peaceful, much better than he had looked the night before. She could hear him joining his older sibling's conversation, adding something else in elvish only to have Arahaelon laugh louder. The sight made her smile, and at the same time made her feel a sharp pain stabbing her heart.

Tadion's clear blue eyes found her hiding behind the door, and she saw his face light up with a wide smile. Even in bandages and bedridden, he looked so carefree and content, as if nothing could ruin his fun. He lifted a hand, waving at her to enter, but she tensed. Both Arahaelon and Lossenel's eyes lifted in her direction, noticing that Tadion's attention lied somewhere else. The Crow Prince's eyes caught hers, but she did not look at them, instantly lowering her gaze to her feet, continuing her march down the corridor like a child that got caught in a place that had been forbidden to her.

She walked straight to little backyard of the building, not stopping to speak with anyone, or to glance back at the many stared she received on her way. She did not even bother in observing the small town, in looking at the people around her. She simply sat down on the couple of long stone steps that led into an open small courtyard, parchment in hand, absently starting to trace the lines of the buildings and people she saw before her eyes. She was not even thinking about what she was doing, her hand moving quickly through the page, sometimes a little bit too hard on paper as her anger boiled deeper inside of her. The drawing was not looing right, she could tell, but she did not care. No. Instead she kept dragging the little charcoal over and over again, as if trying to break the paper from the force she was applying.

The deaf sound of light footsteps alerted her that someone was approaching, but she did not turn to look. She did not need to turn to know who it was. She could see him from the corner of her eyes, his long light blond hair falling loosely down his back, his emerald eyes looking at her hesitantly. She only felt her anger rising, tears of rage threatening to form in her eyes, but she forced them back, concentrating her gaze on the poor charcoal in her hand. She could see Arahaelon standing silently behind her, simply looking at her, hesitant.

"May I sit here with you?" His voice was soft, as serene as ever, not powerful or authoritative. She did not turn to look at him, not knowing how she would react. She already felt like her emotions were too strong to hold them back or to pretend she was all right any longer.

"You may sit wherever you wish." She snapped at him, but he did not seemed surprised or hurt by her hostility. Instead, he casually lowered himself next to her, as if she had kindly invited him to join her. She focused once again on her drawing, nearly ragging at the poor piece of paper as she tried to make a specific line that she could just not get right. She was trying to take her frustration out on that line, but to her further ire, she could not seem to get it right.

Arahaelon sat in silence next to her. She could feel his melted emerald eyes staring at her softly, apologetic, hesitant, simply observing her for a while, not knowing what to say. She suddenly felt small, like a small child in the presence of her eldest brother. He just sat there, so elegant, so powerful and at the same time so patient, not complaining about her obvious rejection.

"Do you need help with that line?" He offered. Once again his voice was gentle, the musical sound incredibly calmed and patient. She snapped her eyes in his direction, her expression unfriendly as she tried her best to contain her boiling anger.

"Are you going to explain to me how to do the line correctly or are you just going to draw it and let me wonder how you did it?" She said bitterly, for the first time allowing her eyes to glare through his open and gentle emerald irises. He did not wince at her hostility, did not look hurt or provoked. His expression remained the same, calmed, his endless eyes staring at her patiently, as he hesitated for a moment, trying to think of something else to say.

"We are not talking about the drawing, are we?" So he had understood what she meant. She did not confirm his assumption, but did not deny it, instead choosing to lower her eyes once more to the paper in her hands, continuing to trace thick angry lines across it. Arahaelon let out a sigh.

"Rëa." His voice was soothing, and she once again snapped her furious eyes in his direction.

"Do not call me that." She snapped, her voice cold. Once again he did not look affected by her reaction, as if he had been expecting them. The fact that he remained so patient and open only made her ager intensify, feeling smaller and smaller next to him, feeling naïve and inexperienced next to this noble and wise Prince. Why did he not simply yell back at her, the way he had yelled the night before? I would make things easier for her, she would then be able to take out her frustration at someone, to be able to yell and scream and cry with a real reason.

"Almarëa." He tried again, but she acted as if she had not heard him. "Almarëa, please look at me."

She could not deny his request. Even in her rage, she could not say no. It was as if her body did not have the will to disobey her eldest brother, even she desperately wanted to continue to ignore his presence. Slowly, she let her eyes turn to meet his. She could already feel tears starting to for in her eyes, whether from anger, pain or exhaustion, she did not know, but she forced them back, putting on a straight face. His melted emerald eyes stared deeply at her, entirely open, apologetic, letting her all into their depths, the color of a welcoming forest in a warm summer's day.

"I am sorry." He finally said. He was sorry. She could see it clearly in his apologetic eyes, in his calmed welcoming face. And still, his honest apology did not made her feel any better.

"I forgive you." She said flatly, not really meaning her words. She knew he had caught her tone, for he lowered his eyes for a second.

"Almarëa…"He started, hesitating on what to say to her. She could feel the angry tears blurring her vision. They would come whether she wanted them to come or not. She could not understand why was it so hard for him to find his words, to simply explained to her what had happened?

"Almarëa…I did not mean to react that way last night." He started again, but she snapped her eyes up in his direction once more, unable to contain herself any longer.

"Why did you pull away from me, then?" She blurted out fiercely, the first angry tears starting to roll down her cheeks as she tried her best not to simply yell. "Why did you back away from me?"

He lowered his eyes. So that was the question he did not want to answer. She felt her anger rising more as she understood that he would not answering her question, just like all the other questions she wanted answer. No. He would just sit here, tell her he was sorry and she was supposed to forgive and forget, never receiving an explanation. Had it not worked that way ever since she arrived in Mirkwood? Why could he not simply answer her. It could not be that hard.

To her surprise he lifted his eyes to meet hers once more. Nothing in his expression had changed, emerald irises as serene and patient as before, so powerful and yet gentle. She saw him take his right hand to his left arm, hesitating for a moment before slowly rolling up the sleeved of his elegant tunic, all the way to his elbow. She simply watched him silently, unsure of what he was doing. Then, he turned his arm so that the inside of his forearm was facing up, and slowly extended it for her to see.

She continued to look into his eyes, not sure of what to do. Hesitantly, she lowered her gaze to his bare arm, not sure of what to look for. She saw nothing, just his flawless white skin. She lifted her eyes again to meet his, but he silently nodded her to look again. And she looked again, staring into his perfect pale skin, confusion replacing her anger for a moment.

And then she saw it, so faint that she had to look for a while to be sure it was not a fragment of her imagination. No. It was definitely real. There, on the inside of his left forearm was a mark, only slightly lighter than his skin color, nearly invisible. She knew elves did not scar, so this could not be the product of an old injury. She stared at it more closely, following its contour. And then it hit her. It was a handprint, a very faint tiny handprint, the size of a baby's hand. She froze, all of her anger disappearing in a second only to be replaced by shock. She needed no explanation to know whose hand it was the one imprinted permanently on her brother's arm. She could only stare into his emerald eyes, so deep and impenetrable, the lack of expression in his piercing yet gentle eyes silently confirming her assumptions. It was _her _hand…

Here is chapter 24! Sorry that it took me a little longer to update! The chapter is also a little longer so I hope that makes up for the wait! Please let me know what you think!

Also, again thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! Really you have no idea how much your comments meant to me! So as many thanks as words in this story! The Lead Mare, Luckyponygirl, Mary Elrondile, Paperlanterns86, CeffylGwyn, wonderpanda10, Jibril, AmazingWriter123, booklover1598, SarahWeasley, dindongsong, Kirschflower, Through Jaded Eyes, elizabethtran12, Martine9295, Danda225, world-classgeek, Coco99, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, and Wtiger5.

Also I want to thank Martine9295 for doing the cover image for this story!

Love,

Elena


	25. Collide

Emerald eyes pierced through hers, so powerful and impenetrable, and at the same time gleaming with a liquid gentleness concealed safely behind their crystal barrier. She felt petrified, unable to move, unable to blink. For a split second it seemed as if her body had turned to stone, she could feel nothing, could think nothing.

Doronor's words echoed inside her mind, so vividly that she could almost hear them ringing in her ears. _"By the Valar, you nearly killed your brother."_ The cold accusation danced inside her head, bouncing against the walls of her skull. Those words she had desperately tried to forget, to ignore, to pretend that they had been a false accusation, now seemed the only thought that crossed her mind. So it had been true. She had nearly killed her brother. She had nearly killed the Crown Prince.

She felt as if something was constricting her entire chest, pressing it all to tight for her to breath properly. Anger boiled inside her veins, mixing with her newfound despair. And yet, what seemed to overpower every other feeling, was the sudden piercing guilt that she felt inside her stomach, hollowing all of her senses from the inside out. Everything made sense now, and the same time it did not make sense at all. That was why Arahaelon had been so distant with her since she arrived in Mirkwook. That was why he always seemed cautious and guarded around her. But she still could not understand.

The Crown Prince had not moved, his expression as calmed and patient as ever. He simply sat her, looking at her. She once again felt small, incredibly young next to her eldest brother. How many other things like this she did not know? She felt scared to move, sacred to breath, fearing that any sort of action from her part would make him dash away from her, as if she was a dangerous thing, a threat to him. And yet he did not move.

"I did that." She was the first to speak, her voice barely audible. She did not need to point or specify for Arahaelon to understand she was referring to the mark imprinted on his left arm. Her eldest brother remained still for a long moment, green eyes silently watching her, unreadable. It was as if he did not want to confirm her statement, even though she knew it was true. Slowly, very slowly, Arahaelon nodded his head, powerful green eyes never leaving hers, watching her carefully, so gentle and at the same so impenetrable.

"You are the one I…I almost killed." She was once again surprised at the sound of her voice, so frail and low, she could not even recognize it. She swallowed in a failed attempt to relieve the knot blocking her throat. She felt like screaming, crying, running, anything. Her chest felt too tight, her body petrified. Anger flashed through her brother's emerald eyes for a second, looking at her intently, so tall and powerful.

"Who told you that?" He hissed, green eyes piercing through hers easily, so impenetrable. He seemed angered that she knew this information. For a moment she remained quiet, but she knew he could see through her eyes the burden of the advisor's charged words.

"Almarëa" The serene authority in his gentle voice made her eyes involuntarily turn up to meet his, unable to deny his request. "Has someone accused you of almost killing me?"

"Doronor mentioned it some nights ago." She found herself answering in a low voice, unable to conceal the truth from her eldest brother. Her green eyes remained steady, looking right into his as she tried for her face to remain as stone-like as possible. Another flash of anger crossed her brother's impenetrable emerald gaze, but she tried to ignore it.

"He should not have said that to you. He does not have the right to make such a strong and unnecessary accusation." Arahelon's voice remained calmed, although she could distinguish the faint thread of ire in the unusually cold sound. She felt her despair and frustration grow inside of her. She did not care whatever Doronor had or had not said. She just wanted to know what had happened.

"But it was a truthful accusation, was it not?" She snapped at her eldest brother, not surprised when he once again did not react to her hostile tone. The Crown Prince remained looking at her with unreadable emerald eyes, gentle and at the same time impenetrable. His handsome face was a serene as it had been previously, simply looking at her patiently, none of her snapped comments hurting or provoking him. A long moment of silence settled in between the two of them, hanging on the tense air like a lurking ghost.

"Was it not?" She repeated when she did not get an answer. Powerful green eyes stared at her steadily, a silent apology swirling in their melted depths, far behind the cold glass barrier that met her gaze. It was if he did not want to answer her question, did not want to give her the answer that would condemn her. But his silence spoke louder than words. She knew that if there were any chance that the advisor's accusation had been false he would have already said so.

"It was an accident." He said finally, his voice calmed and gentle, although his apologetic eyes continued to stare deeply into hers, trapping her inside powerful melted emeralds.

She lowered her eyes, the simple action of looking into his eyes making her feel guilty, feel dangerous. Accident or not, it had happened. She could feel his eyes on her, watching silently. She no longer knew what to think, what to do. It was simply too much for her. She was nearly sure she had never felt this kind of frustration before, this kind of helplessness and anger, and at the same time this overwhelming need for answers, answers that she knew once they came she would wish she could forget them, make them disappear. And added to that, she felt tired, simply exhausted, which only made thinking harder.

She could feel angry tears forming in her eyes. But anger about what? Her teeth bit her bottom lip hard, trying to clear her mind, to desperately loosen the tight knot inside her throat that prevented her thoughts from flowing coherently. She was loosing the fight with her composure.

Arahaelon had remained quietly beside her, patiently staring at her his expression as serene as before. Suddenly she had the feeling that this conversation was as hard for him as it was for her.

"How did it happen?" It took all of her willpower to pronounce those words, placing all of her concentration on making her voice sound steady. She did not turn to look at her brother, fearing that she would loose her composure if she did. She could feel tears of frustration blurring her vision, and she forced them back with all of her strength, her lips pressed in a thin line. The Crown Prince did not move, and even though she could feel his watchful emerald eyes on her, she was glad that he did not acknowledge her loss of composure.

"It was an accident, Rëa. You did not know what you were doing. You could not control it." He used her nickname, but this time she did not protest. His voice was somehow softer, loosing all of its power, simply gentle and soothing, as if his words could make everything all right. And yet, she did not feel any better. She knew it was an accident, she could even remember it! She knew she most probably had meant no harm to her eldest brother, but nonetheless the accident had happened. And he had not forgotten it.

"How did it happen?" She repeated, her voice sounded cold and sharp in an attempt to prevent it from breaking. Once again her sudden hostility did not affect him in the slightest. Then, before she could think of saying anything else the sight in front of her vanished, only to be replaced by another set of images playing vividly inside her mind.

_The gentle golden sunlight entered trough the tall arched windows of the Palace's Family Room. The orange and golden leaves of the trees swayed gently outside the balcony, waltzing at the rhythm of the soft breeze. Her eyes immediately found a young version of Legolas sprawled on his stomach over the exquisite carpet, innocent blue eyes concentrating on piece of paper in front of him as his right hand drew gentle figure over it with a blue type of crayon. Many more of those crayon-like pieces were scattered all over the carpet, in all sorts of colors. _

_Tadion sat cross-legged next to the blond elfling, looking exactly the same as he did now. Long golden hair fell loosely down his back, his untroubled clear blue eyes watching his youngest brother amusedly, sparkling with the gleam of his smile. Every once in a while, Tadion's finger would point to a spot in the page, and the tiny Legolas would quickly move the crayon in the specified direction. _

_She noticed Arahaelon and Lossenel sitting facing each other in two of the many cushioned seats inside the large room, both of their eyes concentrated on the game of chess they were currently playing. The Elvenking was also inside the room, sitting casually on the long couch, ice blue eyes focused on a book in hands, occasionally lifting them to glance in Legolas' direction. _

_The door of the large Family Room was gently pushed open, and all pairs of eyes lifted in its direction, a wide grin appearing on the elfling's face. She was sure she would have frozen in place had the scene not only been a memory she was witnessing. There, in front of her, waltzing into the room was a figure she had no memory of, other than lying unmoving on the cold ground. _

_The Queen of Mirkwood walked gracefully inside the room, so beautiful and elegant it almost seemed unnatural. Her long golden hair was perfectly braided under a delicate crown sitting regally atop her head. Tiny jewels and pearls cascaded down her golden locks, intertwining with her braids and reflecting the rays of the sun. Her long ivory dress swirled weightlessly around her steps, adorned with tiny dark sapphires at the neck and sleeves. In her arms the Queen carried a baby version of her, bouncing her slightly as she walked. _

_The Elvenking closed his book, and she could see his ice blue eyes turning in the direction of the gorgeous Queen, a soft smile present on his face. The Queen's green eyes met her husband for a second, the grin on her face widening before turning again to look at the baby in her arms. _

"_We just woke up from our nap and started crying when we could not find Ada around." The Queen cooed in her melodic voice, her gentle thumb wiping away the fat tears that rolled down the baby's rosy cheeks. The tiny baby had her little fingers inside her mouth, her other hand curled over her mother's shoulder, big fat tears falling from her eyes in complete silence. _

_The King had walked in his wife's direction, carefully taking the crying baby in his strong arms, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. The second she was in her Ada's arms, the tears stopped flowing from the baby's eyes, leaving her sniffing silently. This caused the Elvenking to chuckle again before placing a light kiss on his wife's lips and heading back to the couch. _

"_Why do you cry?" She heard the King saying to his youngest daughter as he lowered himself back on the couch, the Queen sitting next to him. The baby simply looked back at him, large green eyes staring innocently at him, not really knowing what he had said. The King let out a slight laugh at his daughter's expression before placing a quick kiss on her tiny forehead. And then, as soon as she was settled on her father's lap, the baby squirmed away, trying to crawl out of her father's grip and onto the carpet. _

"_So much for wanting my attention." The Elvenking muttered as he lowered the wriggling baby onto the carpet, watching her attentively as she crawled through the room and in Legolas' direction. The Queen let out a light laugh at the sight, leaning her body against her husband's on the couch as he wrapped an arm around her. _

_The baby version of her had already reached Legolas, placing her tiny hands on his head to push herself up onto her feet, trying to maintain her balance. Legolas' innocent laughter filled the room, squealing as his youngest sister pulled at his hair. _

"_Rëa do not pull at my hair!" The elfing complained, but his sister had her tiny fingers tangled in his light blond strands of hair, not listening to him and causing Tadion to laugh. _

"_Pull harder, Rëa." The older brother incited her between chuckles. Legolas glared at Tadion, kicking him lightly. The baby, however, ignored both of her siblings, loosing her precious balance and falling flat on her bottom. _

"_Here, help Legolas paint." Tadion added, handing his youngest sister one of the colorful crayons. The baby took it in her tiny hands, her older brother having to stop her as she took it to her mouth. _

"_No, do not eat that!" Tadion chuckled, his sister's large green eyes looking at him for a moment. And then, she turned away crawling back on the carpet, clearly not interesting in painting. _

_She had reached her eldest brother, her tiny hands pulling at the Crown Prince's leg to get his attention. Arahelon's melted emerald eyes immediately looked down at his youngest sister, smiling widely at her. The baby squealed in delight as she got her brother's attention, one tiny hand stretch to offer him the crayon she had been holding. _

"_Thank you." Arahaelon chuckled as he accepted the crayon, getting a fist of uncoordinated claps from his youngest sister, Lossenel laughing behind him. _

_The baby, however, had already gone to collect yet another crayon, ignoring Legolas and Tadion who had returned to their task of painting. Her tiny hands curled over another crayon and she made her way back to her eldest brother, pulling at his leg again before offering him the object. _

"_Thank you, again." The Crown Prince added between chuckles, his emerald eyes looking amusedly at his sister. The baby squealed again before dashing out to fetch another crayon. Lossenel let out another chorus of bell-like laughter, looking at her eldest brother questioningly. Arahaelon simply shrugged in return, not understanding his youngest sister's actions either. _

"_Come, little brother, let us go see what is in the kitchens." She heard Tadion saying softly, silently slipping out of the room with Legolas at his heels, leaving a mess of papers and crayons behind him._

"_Thank you." The Crown Prince repeated as he accepted a third crayon, this time both of his parents joining along in the laughter. _

"_She is going to give them all to you." The Elvenking commented as Arahaelon leaned down and picked his youngest sister in his arms to prevent her from going to look for yet another crayon. The baby reached her tiny hands to his face, gripping at his cheeks as she stood on his lap, his hands helping her remain upright. _

"_Say Ar." The Crown Prince tried, but his sister was concentrated on grabbing his nose, making have to put her tiny hand away. _

"_Say Ar." Arahaelon repeated and this time her sister's eyes turned to his, a new look of concentration on her face. She opened her tiny mouth as if about to say something, but closed it again, her expression overly concentrated. _

"_Aaaaaaarrrr" The Crown Prince helped his sister who opened her mouth again, bouncing slightly on his lap. Her hands reached once again to her brother's face, patting over his cheeks. "Say Aaaaaarrr." _

"_Aawrr." The baby said, looking straight into her brother's powerful emerald eyes. Arahaelon grinned widely before placing a quick kiss on his sister's rosy cheek, laughing as the baby squirmed away from his mouth. _

"_Say Ada." The Elvenking called out from the couch, and the Queen let out a chorus of chuckles beside him. His youngest daughter turned her head in his direction. _

"_Nana!" The baby exclaimed, bouncing her tiny fists in the air. All elves in the room burst into laughter, the King muttering a low "I give up." _

"_Say Ar." Arahaelon stole his sister's attention once more. _

"_Awr." The baby repeated, receiving another quick kiss on the cheek. _

"_Say Ar, I love you so much you are my favorite brother and the most handsome elf in all of Arda." _

"_You are stretching your luck, Ar." Lossenel commented with a chuckle as her younger sister stared curiously at the Crown Prince, her green eyes concentrated on his brother's. Her tiny hands continued to trace over her brother's face, squealing as he made faces at her in a very un-princely manner. _

_The baby continued to squeal and laugh, looking intently into her brother's eyes, the stare between them never once broken. There was a look of concentration on her face, as if she was looking as something else inside her eldest brother's eyes, something deeper. _

_And then, everything happened so fast she did not even have time to register the entirety of the events. The baby's eyes stared intently into her brothers. One of her tiny grabbed onto his left arm to support herself, the sudden contact like an unexpected shock that made Arahaelon gasp sharply, green eyes wide as his whole body stiffened abruptly. The Elvenking jumped to his feet, The Queen suddenly looking up. A blinding white light covered the scene for a split second, and then her vision was suddenly cut. _

Her vision returned to normal and for a moment she just remained where she was, not moving, not blinking. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, looking at the tiny pieces of gravel at her feet.

"That is as far as I remember. My next memory is waking up in my chambers four days later." Arahaelon said next to her, his voice serene, patient. He had not moved either, sitting tall and elegant next to her, so noble, so powerful and peaceful. She could feel his piercing emerald eyes on her, watching attentively.

"With a mark on your arm." She barely recognized the voice that left her lips. It was only a whisper, flat, void. Her eldest brother did not say anything in return, but there really was nothing to say. She could see him sitting quietly next to her, watching her carefully, concerned, but she did not turn to meet his eyes. She did not want to meet his eyes. She felt that if she did, the memory she had just witnesses would become more real to her. "I am really sorry."

"You meant no harm, Rëa." Arahaelon's voice was gentle, soothing, but once again she did not feel any better. He paused for a second, as if waiting if she would add anything else, but she said nothing. "Look at me, please."

Once again she could not deny his request, lifting her eyes to meet a welcoming pair of equal forest green.

"You could not control it." Melted emerald eyes swallowed her as he spoke, making it impossible for her to look anywhere else. "You did not know what you were doing. It was not our fault. You are more powerful than me. Your energy is stronger and your spirit much more sensitive to other energies and forces, that is what allows you to connect with them, to use them and let them use you. Your energy and mine cannot touch. It is different than with Tadion, or Legolas, or anyone else. I am also sensible to these forces, I can perceive them, but I cannot use them. They perceive me too, but as a separate being, we are not compatible and cannot bond into one. You, on the other hand, can do that, and that is what can be so powerful and at the same time so dangerous. That is precisely what happened. I do not know how the contact happened, or how you reached me or I reached you, but as soon as your energy came in contact with mine, you pulled me to you. It is like a magnet, a very strong magnet, and as soon as that initial contact happened, I could not stop it. The fact that you were physically touching me speeded the connection and made it stronger than it should have been if the accident had happened from a distance. That is why it left a mark. It is the point where the contact happened, were your energy and mine collided unexpectedly."

Deep green eyes stared at her, open and gentle. She could not say anything, could not find anything to say as he gave her some time to process her words. Her chest continued to feel constricted, as if something she could not name had wrapped around her body, making it hard to breath. She knew it had not been her fault. It had not been intentional, but nonetheless she could not help but feel incredibly guilty. She felt scared, frustrated, even angered at herself for possessing such dangerous power. It was taking all of her concentration to hold back her angry tears. Why could she simply not be like Lossenel, or like Tadion, or Legolas: hear what she was supposed to hear, feel what she was supposed to feel, and nothing else?

"You were a baby." Arahaelon continued, easily seeing all of her feelings in her transparent eyes, although to her relief, he acted as if he could not see anything. "You could not control yourself. The contact scared you. You were not expecting to find what you found, and your spirit, your powers, reacted by reflex in their natural way, pulling me to you with all of your strength. Ada broke the contact before you could have pulled all of my life energy from me. I do not blame you, Rëa. None of us do. I really did not mean to pull away from you so harshly last night, but I could feel the familiar power surrounding you, and after what you had done previously with the wind…I could not tell if you would be able to control it. I did not ever think that you would try to harm me, but last night I could not afford any kind of accident to happen. I would not have had the strength to even try to pull away."

She lowered her eyes to the ground once more, her feeling becoming too overwhelming. She could hardly breathe against the tight knot at her throat, making it hard to think straight. Her vision was already blurred with tears, the silvery shimmer accumulating at the ends of her eyes, threatening to roll down her face as she tried her best to stop it. True, she had felt pained and rejected at her brother's sudden outburst the night before, but then again, he had been so weak, needing Lossenel to support him upright. If she had lost control at that moment, she would have killed him.

She did not know if this information frightened her or made her angry with herself. The Crown Prince did not blame her, but that did not change the fact that he needed to be careful about her, she needed to be careful about him. She suddenly felt like a threat, a dangerous thing that should be approached carefully. Something wet rolled down her left cheek, a tear, tracing a faint path over her face before dropping from her chin, dying as it met the plain ground.

"Rëa." The Crown Prince breathed out, one of his hands gently coming to rest on her shoulder. She immediately shrugged it away. She did not want him to touch her, not after what she had heard.

Arahaelon, however, did not stay away from her when she pulled away. Instead, she felt both of his arms wrap around her in return, pulling her into his arms. She could feel more tears rolling down her cheeks as she moved around forcefully, battling to free herself from his comforting embrace. But he was much to strong for her, and her body did not have the energy, did not have the will to continue its fight, falling still after a short moment, burying her face in his tunic.

Her eldest brother did not say anything, simply held her. His touch felt so strange and new. She had only touched him a couple of times. And at the same time it felt so comforting, so soothing. She could no longer contain her tears, contain her despair, her anger, her frustration. She felt exhausted, shocked and frightened at the information she had learned. It was as if he body was trying to take out her frustration with herself through her tears, through her choked sobs.

She felt her brother's hand softly stroking her hair, so soothing and welcoming. She once again felt incredibly young next to her eldest brother, like the baby she had seen in his memories. His arms remained tight around her, as if proving her that he could touch her, that she could touch him without worry. As if proving her that did not want her to stay away from him, or that he was scared of her closeness. She knew another accident would not happen unless she reached him through her spirit, and she would try her hardest to prevent it from happening, to prevent her energy from finding his, and if it did, to try to break the contact, to pull back.

She did not cry for long, her body too exhausted to shed tears for more than just a couple of minutes. She felt weak, both mentally and physically. And yet, she did not move, too comfortable nestled against her brother's chest, in his secure embrace. Her thoughts wondered to Elladan lying motionless on the bed. She knew he was still asleep, she had not felt him waking yet, although she knew it would be soon. Her thoughts wondered to Tadion. Was he feeling better? Was he still awake or was he once again resting? And what about Lossenel and Legolas? How ere they handling everything? And Elrohir? Or even more, what about her own father, King Thranduil back in the Mirkwood Palace? What had happened after they had left? And what about Lord Elrond?

She knew she would not be able to find an answer for all of those questions at that precise moment. She felt so tired, so drained, and her eldest brother's embrace was so comfortable, so safe.

"I am sorry, Ar." She said, her voice betraying her exhausting more than she had wanted to. He did not say anything in return, and she was glad for it, simply stroked her hair, making her eyes fall close. She knew her apology would not change anything, but at least it made her feel slightly better that he did not waved it away, as if he knew she needed it.

After some long seconds she felt him easily scooping her up in his arms, her body completely weightless for his strong arms. Her mind told her to place her feet on the ground and walk by herself, but her body was no longer responding, simply too worn out. She was only half-awake as he carried back inside the plain building and up the narrow wooden staircase. She only somewhat came back to her senses as she felt Elladan starting to wake up through their bond, could feel his slight confusion as he returned to consciousness. That seemed to wake her for a split second, making her stretch her feet to ground as Arahaelon gently lowered her into a standing position.

"Go to sleep." He ordered her, his voice gentle and peaceful, but the command was evident in it. She let her eyes meet his powerful emerald ones, which suddenly felt more reachable, a silent smirk gleaming secretly in their melted depths.

She nodded once, feeling too tired for words, smiling softly at her eldest brother. Then, before turning and walking into the room where Elladan lay, she said the only thing that she felt she needed to say to him.

"Ar, I love you so much you are my favorite brother but Elladan is the most handsome elf in all of Arda." Her voice was low enough for only him to hear, and she immediately saw a grin appear in his handsome face as she repeated the phrase he had tried for her to say when she was a baby.

"Close enough." He let out a single chuckle and with that she turned around, dragging her feet as she walked.

She entered the small room in which Elladan lay, silently closing the door behind her. Elrhoir was no longer inside, but she did not have the energy in her body to ask where he was. She just felt too exhausted, too overwhelmed. Silver eyes met hers the moment she stepped inside the room, letting her free fall into their depths, so welcoming, so loving, reaching her very soul and suddenly making her feel at peace.

Elladan had not moved, lying on his back as she had last seen him. She knew he had just woken, and was still in great pain, too weary still. And yet, his silver eyes stared at her so deeply, holding a concern that let her know he already knew everything that had happened while he was asleep. He could feel everything through their bond, could see the way she had looked while he was unconscious through his bond with his twin.

She did not say anything, walking to the bed with her remaining strength, feeling a pull to be close to him, knowing that his closeness was all she needed to get some rest. Words were not needed, their spirits too intertwined to know what the other was feeling.

Elladan opened the blankets of the bed for her to climb in and she did, her mind already drifting off into sleep. She wanted to ask him how he felt, wanted to ask him if he was feeling any better, if he was in pain, but she could barely stay focused, her exhaustion finally consuming her. She was absently conscious of him rolling onto his side with an effort, wrapping his arms around her as she rested her forehead against his chest. And then, as soon as she was in the safety of his arms, her spirit so close to his, she felt herself drifting off completely, finally feeling at peace, feeling at home, no other touch would ever feel more soothing than his…

Here is chapter 25! Sorry for the long wait! I hope the chapter can make up for it and hopefully answer some questions! Please let me know what you think!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, really you have no idea how much your comments mean to me: ILoveEoner3, SarahWeasley, CeffylGwyn, Through Jaded Eyes, The Lead Mare, Martine9295, smulderalert, world-classgeek, wonderpanda10, Mary Elrondile, ZabuzasGirl, Foxyloxylegolas1, ForbiddenShadow0, AmazingWriter123, booklover1598, Paperlanterns86, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Jibril, Danda225, and my guest reviewer!

I know I have not finished sending personal replies to all of you yet, my apologies for that, this week has been nearly impossible for me and I tried to concentrate on writing the chapter in the little spare time I could find. I will send all of your replies as soon as I can, I promise!

Also, Paperlanterns86, Happy belated Birthday! I had no idea it was your birthday on my last update! I hope this chapter can still be a good (late) birthday present! I also want to dedicate this chapter to Martine9295!

Love,

Elena


	26. Seething Shadows

She blinked a couple of times, slowly coming back to her senses. Gentle arms remained loosely wrapped around her small figure, keeping her close and safe against a warm bare chest. Her forehead remained pressed against soft skin, feeling the steady beating of a heart underneath. It was dark. Not a flash of light penetrated inside the small room, letting her know that night had already fallen. Her eyes immediately lifted as she remembered where she was and whose arms were the ones nestling her protectively. She followed the curve of a neck, the end of a chin and stopped as her eyes met a deep pair of liquid silver eyes, staring at her silently under heavy eyelids.

"How are you?" Elladan whispered softly, his lips curving up into a half-hearted smile as his eyes drowned in concern, watching her carefully. She felt stung as she caught the dulled light that gleamed in his usually vivid eyes, his gaze weary and dazed like frail breakable silver obscured with pain, lacking their usual piercing strength. His handsome face was still far too pale for her liking and she could easily see that the large amount of blood he had lost the previous night had taken its toll on him.

"I am fine" She smiled at him as she spoke, her voice as quiet as his, one of her hands gently placing a strand of his silky dark hair behind his pointed ear. He already knew everything that had happened with Arahaelon, and he also knew how desperate and lost she had felt while he had been unconscious. He had seen in through his bond with his twin, she could see it in the way his drained silver eyes stared at her worriedly, she could see it in the way his weak arms remained wrapped warmly around her small body.

"How are _you_?" She questioned him, letting her hand rest lightly on his pale cheek. His endless eyes stared at hers for a long moment, seeming to be considering her question. She knew he was in far more pain than he was letting visible, she could feel it clearly through their bond.

"My back is killing me." He breathed out, a thing she knew he would not admit to anyone else, except maybe Elrohir. Elladan closed his eyes fro a second before slowly opening them again. He was exhausted, and she wondered if he had slept at all while he had held her close to him.

"I am sorry." She answered with a sad smile, not knowing what else to say. Slowly, she sat up on the mattress, her hand tenderly stroking his long dark hair as she turned her head to take a look at his back. Elladan remained entirely still on the bed, and even though she did not know exactly why, the fact that he had not even tried to sit up with her scared her greatly.

The moment her dark green eyes fell onto his back she wished she could erase the image eternally from her head. His pale, flawless skin was stained by an aggressive purple and black bruise in the middle of bare back, larger than her open hand. It definitely looked worse than it had the night before, but then again she knew bruises took their time to appear fully. It was slightly swollen, marking the exact spot in which the orc with its metal boots and heavy armor had slammed into him, just before slaying its sword viciously through his soft white skin. Elladan's lower back was heavily bandaged, shielding the long deep gash from her view, but nevertheless she could see a faint line of crimson red staining the white linen. To her minimal relief, the bloodstain on the bandages was dried, indicating it was old, from when the bandages had been newly wrapped around his middle, and not hinting that the stitched wound was still bleeding.

"Do you want me to get Elrohir?" She let her eyes return to his and he shook his head slightly as an answer, one of his hands travelling to grasp her left one tenderly.

"He is coming." Was his soft answer, the words leaving his mouth slowly, tiredly. Of course Elrohir would have already known if Elladan needed his aid or not. She did not know what else to say, feeling his fingers gently lacing with hers, absently toying with the gorgeous engagement ring on her third finger.

She did not say anything else, letting her free hand gently rub the bare skin of his upper back and shoulders, very careful to not touch the black and swollen bruise. All of his muscles felt overly tense and she knew it was a reaction to the pain from the wound, but she could not help her heart from sinking deeply into her hollowed chest. Elladan let out a faint relieved moan at her touch, and she could slowly feel his muscles relaxing.

"Does it help with the pain?" She asked hopefully as she continued to gently rub his back, feeling his warm soft skin beneath her palm.

"Not really. But it feels good." He closed his eyes as he spoke, his voice as quiet and before, and she could not help but smile at his honest quick answer, letting out a muted laugh. "Do not stop."

However, before she could say anything else the plain wooden door was gently pushed open, allowing Elrohir and Legolas to walk into the room. The younger twin immediately turned his attention to his brother, and only then did she notice that he carried both a steaming cup and a small bowl with some sort of salve in his hands. Legolas' infinite blue eyes met hers, offering her a soft smile which she mirrored in return, not keeping her eyes from him as he slowly neared the bed.

"Did you rest?" Her older brother asked as he sat down next to her on the mattress, one of his hands lightly resting over her shoulder. She simply nodded as a reply.

"Ar told me. I had no idea." Legolas added, and she could not say anything in return, simply letting her head fall over his strong shoulder as her eyes focused once more on Elrohir. The younger twin had set the items he had been carrying over the small bedside table, and had already started examining his twin's back with extreme care. She saw a look of great irritation and worry cross Elrohir's usually kind and patient eyes as they fell on the violent bruise on Elladan's back, his slender fingers probing gently on the skin surrounding it.

"Elladan" She heard Elrohir breath out disapprovingly, almost in a scolding manner, even though a stain of anguish crossed his gaze at the sight of the injury in his brother's skin. "Why did you have to get injured!"

"Sorry." Muttered Elladan, his voice betraying slight annoyance at his brother's reproach. The younger sucked at his teeth, shaking his head with a frown as his gently fingers carefully started applying the salve over his twin's bruised back.

"This looks terrible, Elladan." Elrohir continued, and she knew that the cause for his irritation was the fact that Elladan was wounded and clearly in pain. "You should have been more careful."

"I had your back." The elder twin protested, seemingly tired of his brother's reproaches, and yet his voice remained gentle as if he knew exactly what was bothering his twin so greatly and was attempting to apologize for it.

"And the orc had yours. Quite literally." Came Elrohir's reply, and even his voice remained exasperated and distressed, his lips twitched up in a faint smile as he mocked his twin. Elladan's lips curved in a small smile for a second before he suddenly flinched abruptly, taking a sharp intake of breath when Elrohir accidentally applied some pressure to his badly bruised back.

"Sorry." She heard Elrohir say, immediately retreating his hands. The younger twin's voice had lost all of its previous irritation, now simply worried as he patiently waited for his twin to compose himself. She knew the pain must have been extremely sudden and acute for Elladan to have shown it, and she closed her eyes, somehow feeling as if the pain had been inflicted on her own back, letting her hand slide down his long dark hair in a pathetic attempt of comfort.

Long minutes later, Elladan lay once again motionless on his side, the healing salve had been carefully applied over his bruised back, the wound cleaned and new bandages wrapped around his lower back. He somehow looked paler than before, the procedure taxing his already weakened strength. His eyes had fallen closed in exhaustion and she pressed her lips to his forehead in light kiss, perfectly aware that he was still very much awake.

"Dan, would you like to drink the tea?" Elrohir's voice was so soft she almost did not hear it, his silver eyes now gentle and pained as his hand carefully brushed his twin's dark hair. Elladan shook his head feebly, not opening his eyes as he moved.

"Do you feel faint?" Elrohir asked, leaning over his brother to check both his pulse and temperature. She simply remained where she was, her fingers still laced with Elladan's, already knowing the answer to Elrohir's question. Elladan nodded once, the movement so slightly it was almost invisible.

"Nauseous?" Elrohir questioned again, placing a strand of his twin's hair neatly behind his ear. Another nod, once again confirming the answer she already knew because of their bond. The younger twin nodded his head in return.

"It is to be expected." She heard Elrohir adding softly, his silver eyes never leaving his twin's figure. "Rest. The tea will be here if you feel well enough to drink it."

She simply gave a silent squeeze to his hand, her thoughts drifting back to the events of the past days. She did not know what would happen now. Would they return to Mirkwood? Had the orcs managed to reach the Palace? Or were they still out there looking for her? Would they find her here? But then again, who was looking for her and why? All she knew was they would be staying in this town for at least a couple of more days until Elladan healed. Elves had a wondrous ability to heal quickly, but nonetheless she knew Elrohir would not risk allowing his twin to ride a horse for some days. A wound to the back was not to be taken lightly, even among elves.

And then what about Vilya? The memories of its power swirling through her veins and inside her skin remained fresh in her mind. The feeling of loosing control, of not really knowing what she was doing as she let the ring's powers act through her, their bond so deep, so tight that she could no longer tell which was which. It had felt so natural to her, to not restrain from that consuming power, to let it flow freely through her, feeding into the raging wind. But at the same time, it was precisely that which scared the most, that wild power she had proven to be able to wield, without control, that power which, even though great, could be as dangerous as it was helpful.

Elladan's finger's curling a little tighter around hers brought her back from her thoughts, and glancing down she found a pair or liquid silver eyes drowning her with worry, looking past her irises and into her mind. She offered him a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"_Do you not want anything, Dan? Tea? Food? Water?"_ She asked softly into his mind, letting her hand reassume its task of gently stroking his long dark hair. His weary eyes continued to watch her carefully, as if expecting her to suddenly crumble down as she had done the previous day. But she would not.

"_No…yes, water."_ He changed his mind as he spoke and she motioned to Legolas, who immediately understood what she meant before she could even speak, quickly walking to where a plain silver pitcher rested on the small wooden table inside the room.

Carefully, she helped Elrohir in moving Elladan into a sitting position, accommodating some pillows in between his back and the wooden headboard. Legolas returned with the water some seconds later, waiting for Elladan to have a steady hold on the glass before letting go. A long, hollow silence hung in the room, as Elladan slowly took small sips from the water. She could tell that the same questions that plagued her mind consumed Legolas and Elrohir's thoughts as well. She could see it in the way they sat in silence, their eyes staring vacantly at nowhere in particular, lost inside their own troubled minds.

She rested her body against Elladan's, leaning into his chest as much as she dared to, feeling an arm instinctively wrap around her, gently pulling her closer until her head rested lightly on his shoulder. She could feel him reaching to her, in the same way in which her own spirit reached for his, her breath in perfect coordination to the rhythm of his beating heart. And yet, somehow in the warmth and safety of his embrace, all of the thoughts plaguing her mind felt so far away, like a distant nightmare, never to be visited again.

She could feel the weight of his head as it rested over hers, his soft cheek pressed against her golden hair. She absently noticed Elrohir taking the almost full glass from his twin's outstretched hand, but nonetheless she could tell that the small amount of water had helped greatly. Elladan's skin was still overly pale, but somehow it had regained some of its color.

The deaf sound of the opening door broke the haunting silence and she lifted her eyes just in time to watch three more figures step into the room. Her eyes unconsciously followed Lossenel as she made her way to where Legolas sat, her steps a perfectly synchronized waltz to a silent music, her long platinum hair shimmering like a silver Moon in the darkness of the room. Behind her, Arahaelon was helping Tadion slowly walk into the room, the latter looking much better than the last time she had seen him, although still not fully healed.

Tadion's clear blue eyes were the first ones to find hers, sparkling so vividly, burning with their natural carefree fire, as if nothing could ever bother him. He flashed her one of his peaceful smiles as the Crown Prince slowly helped him onto one of the plain wooden chairs.

"How is he?" Lossenel was the one to speak, and she was once again reminded of the soft enchanted melody her sole voice seemed to carry. Her sister's ice green-blue eyes moved in Elladan's direction and Elrhoir was the one to answer with a simple nod of his head. Elladan's silver eyes were once more closed under heavy eyelids, and she knew the Princess could not tell whether or not he was awake.

"What are we going to do now?" Tadion's voice echoed through the small room, and even thought he addressed all of the elves inside of it, his clear blue eyes fixed the longest on his eldest brother's powerful emerald ones, as if expecting him to have the answer for his question. And yet, contrary to his brother's expectations, the Crown Prince remained silent.

"Do you think the orcs will continue to search for Rëa?" Lossenel spoke again, her eyes jumping from Arahaelon to Elrohir and back to Arahaelon. She simply closed her eyes, not sure if she wanted to be part of the conversation. She could already feel the Crown Prince penetrating eyes fixed on her, gentle and watchful.

"I do not know." Legolas was the one to answer, his voice low, almost a whisper in the hanging silence. "Doronor mentioned that there would be an attack on the Palace, and that they would be coming for Almarëa."

She felt Elladan's thumb caressing her arm as he pulled her closer to him, feeling her sudden fear at the possibilities of what waited for her. She opened her eyes, no longer finding the darkness of her eyelids comforting enough, and found herself staring directly into a silent impenetrable pair of forest green eyes, fixed on her from the other side of the room.

"Yet, I find it hard to believe that Doronor was referring to orcs breaking into the Palace." Arahaelon's serene and slow voice carried a silent authority that made every single pair of eyes turn in his direction. "I do not know what exactly is happening, but orcs and elves do not ally with each other. _If_ Doronor was referring to the orcs, then there is someone else behind them who is responsible for their actions."

"What about the elf that shot Tadion?" Elrohir was the one to speak, and she saw Elladan's tired eyes flicker open at his twin's voice, although he did not participate in the conversation.

"Yes, what about him?" Legolas added, his eyes looking questioningly into his eldest brother's green ones. "I do not think he was acting on his own. There have to be more elves inside the Palace who were behind this, and Amrudir was scared. I do not think I have ever seen someone as scared as he was, he seemed to have lost his mind."

She closed her eyes again, but time not because of fear but because of a very familiar tugging she could feel on the back on her mind, threatening to pull her into it. She could hear Tadion saying something, but she was no longer catching his words, her entire mind feeling suddenly shaken as something pushed into it without warning, far too strongly for her to pull away, a sharp ringing echoing in her ears. And yet, she did not pull again, suddenly recognizing who it was that was pushing inside her mind. It was not the first time she experienced such a vision, and it was Vilya's sharp cries muffled with the presence invading her mind what made her allow her walls to crumble down, welcoming the images that she knew would appear before her eyes.

A new set of images suddenly materialized in front of, so vivid and real, as if it were her own eyes the ones staring at the sight. But she knew they were not. The imagines in front of her eyes were not hers. She was only a distant witness to the scene before her, not able to participate, to do anything about it, even though every single nerve inside her body was screaming at her to run, to shout, to do something.

There, before her eyes was her father's elegant study. The fine pieces of furniture that filled it lay currently thrown on the floor in a disarray, chairs with their legs facing up, tables broken, papers and books scattered all over the ink stained exquisite carpet. Shattered glass covered one portion of the room, form where one of the majestic tall windows had been brutally broken. The long rich curtains that flanked the large balcony were torn in several places, some of then hanging down, pulled too sharply.

There were elves in the room, many elves, both dead and alive. Her vision moved forward, as she was walking through the tight cluster of living elves inside the room, guards by their armors and readied swords, all of them parting to the sides as her vision moved. Some of the elves were injured, others perfectly unharmed, standing tall and protective in what seemed to be a circle. Another group of elves was currently gathering the bodies of their fallen companions through her peripheral vision, but she never got a full sight of them. She noticed another elf hurrying closely to her right side as the elves let her through the tight circle they had formed.

Her heart made a wild jump inside her chest, and she was not sure of what she would have done had she really been present in the scene unfolding before her eyes. The Elvenking lay on the rich carpet, his elegant robes splattered inertly around his tall figure. Three elves kneeled on the floor next to him, two of them she did not recognize, and the other one was the dark haired Captain and Advisor, Cunir, his pale hands firmly pressed on either side of his King's fair head, as the latter reclined almost limply against him. Her father's head was slightly rolled to one side, allowing the dark haired Advisor to press a blood soaked piece of cloth firmly to his head, covering his hairline and right eyebrow. More of the crimson liquid trickled down the King's right side of the face, clotting in his long blond hair and staining the fine silk of his robes.

The Captain's fierce eyes shot up directly to her line of vision, wide and urgent, and she felt her vision suddenly lower, as if she were getting on her knees next to the King.

"Is he conscious?" She heard Lord Elrond's voice breaking the hostile silence.

"Yes, my Lord, but he has a severe concussion for what I can tell." Came the faint reply from the dark haired Captain, and her line of vision immediately lowered once more, focusing on her father's still figure. She then saw the Elf-Lord's hands expertly examining the King, so quickly she was not even what she had seen.

"Keep his head still, and continue applying pressure." She hard Lord Elrond's voice as he worked, the Captain nodding his head quickly in return, never letting go of his King. "We need to move him from here, but we cannot afford to jostle him."

"A litter is on its way, my Lord." Came the advisor's quick reply, his fierce yet calmed eyes once again meeting her line of vision directly. Then the advisor spoke again, the words she had been waiting to hear and at the same wished they had not been true. "Lord Elrond, the orcs never reached this side of the Palace. Our forces stopped them before they could even get near here. They were never inside this room."

An unsettling silence floated on the still air for a long moment, the only thing visible to her was the fierce, powerful stare of the dark haired Advisor, seething with ire directed at no one in particular and at the same time as lost as her own thoughts.

"How many dead?" She heard Lord Elrond's voice again, as composed and calmed as always, and yet carrying a command no elf would ever doubt to follow.

"Twelve in this room. I know not about other places inside the Palace." Was the Advisor's immediate reply, and before the elf could add anything else, her vision moved up, as if rising on her feet, turning around in a circle, seeming to take a panoramic view of the room.

The other elves inside the room had successfully moved the dead into a neat line, and she saw her gaze moving along the pale inter bodies. She wanted to close her eyes, to look away, but she could not. She could do nothing but watch, a mere spectator in a time and space in which she had no voice or presence. So many elves lay unmoving upon the exquisite carpet, their injuries ones she wished she would never have to see again in her life. Their eyes, greens, blues, hazel, and nearly every shade of color, stared vacantly at the ceiling, never again to see the sun rise in the horizon, their souls already fled from their empty bodies.

And yet, as her gaze reached near the end of the lines, it suddenly stopped still, fixed on one particular body, a body she recognized immediately. Long blond hair lay splattered around an empty elegant face, dark blue eyes staring hollowly into nothingness. Doronor was dead.

Here is chapter 26! Sorry again for the long wait! I will try to update faster this time! I hope you enjoy the chapter and please let me know what you think!

Also again thank you so so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, really I loved all of your comments, and I can't possibly tell you how much you have made my day with them, so thank you! CeffylGwyn, Coco99, Wtiger5, Martine9295, wonderpanda10, Paperlanterns86, Danda225, world-classgeek, booklover1598, AW123's brother, AmazingWriter123, ShueYun, Jibril-Kadamon, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Mary Elrondile, Elves are awesome, elizabethtran12, and my guest reviewer!

I know I'm still a little behind with the replies to your reviews, but I wanted to leave you this chapter before doing that!

Love,

Elena


	27. Waltzing Words

Her senses came back to her slowly. She felt disoriented, lightheaded, and it took her a moment to notice that she was lying down on something soft. Linen sheets covered her small body, caressing her skin with a welcoming warm. Her head felt too heavy, as well as all of her limbs, as if the pull of gravity was simply too strong for her to lift them. A faint sound reached her ears distantly, a moan, and it took her a long moment to realize that the sound had come from her own lips. She could not remember where she was, or why she was there, her thoughts felt tangled, her mind overly foggy.

"Almarëa?" She heard a gentle voice whisper to her right, followed by the distant feeling of a soft hand caressing her cheek, placing a strand of her long golden hair behind her right ear. "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes, fighting hard against the heaviness of her eyelids. At first everything seemed so unclear, her vision only a hazy combination of unfocused shapes and colors. She could see a blurry figure leaning over her, a pale face finally coming into focus, perfectly framed by fine platinum hair. It was Lossenel. She attempted to smile at the sight of her sister, but was not even sure her lips moved at all. The Princess' rosy lips curved up in a warm smile, iced green-blue eyes focused on hers.

"How do you feel?" Her sister's voice was as low as before, the smile never leaving her lips as she spoke. Lossenel's delicate hand remained on her cheek, her touch somehow feeling so comforting. She simply blinked again, trying to clear her thoughts, but she still felt too disoriented to answer. Instead, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, immediately regretting the movement as everything spun around her widely and she was sure she would have fallen back down onto the pillows had Lossenel not helped remain upright, accommodating some pillows so that she could sit against the wooden headboard.

"Slowly, Rëa. You have slept for quite a while." The snowy Princess let out a musical chuckle, the sound floating on the air like tiny silver bells ringing on the wind. For the first time, she let her eyes scan the room. It was plain and small, furnished only by the bed she was lying on, a couple of chairs and a small bedside table. The bright light of day washed over the room from the only window in it, although she could not tell what time of the day it was.

"What happened? How long have I been out?" She barely recognized the frail voice that left her lips, blinking a couple of more times to fully clear her vision. Her confused eyes followed Lossenel as the latter walked about the room, returning to her bedside with a glass filled with water.

"Here." Her sister said softly as she handed her the glass, once again sitting down on the mattress, gentle iced aquamarine eyes watching her attentively, delicate fingers stroking her golden hair. She took a sip from the water, waiting for her sister to speak.

"You passed out unexpectedly." The Princess' voice sounded worried, and yet her eyes remained as gentle as before, welcoming seas under a frozen winter morning. "Elladan claims you had a vision, but knows not for sure what it was. You were past exhausted, Rëa, you have been so for a couple of days now. Elrohir gave you a strong sleeping draught after that, to make sure you rested. You have slept for two days now, that is why you feel so lightheaded for the moment."

Images started to populate her mind suddenly, all of the events from the last days coming back to her like a splash of iced water. Her conversation with Arahaelon, the mark on his left hand, Elladan lying on the bed, the destroyed study back in the Palace, the bodies, the Elvenking lying injured on the floor, Doronor's dark blue eyes hollow in death…everything flew through her mind in a wild turmoil.

Two days? She had slept for two days? She could feel despair starting to creep through her body. So much could happen in two days…so much that she still had to tell her siblings, that they did not yet know. She lifted her eyes quickly, meeting the Princess' own pair of green-blue ones, mirroring her despair and fear.

However, before she could say anything else, the plain wooden door suddenly opened, her eyes flying in tis direction to meet the newcomers. A wide smile appeared on her face as her eyes fell on two mirror images slowly making their way inside the room. Liquid silver eyes met hers instantly, warm irises examining her frantically, sparkling with worry and relief at the same time, seeming to absorb her entirely, pulling her into them to drown in their swirling depths. She knew it was no coincidence that the twins showed up the moment she woke up, she knew Elladan had felt it through their bond. And yet, what really surprised her and made her heart flutter with joy was the fact that Elladan was once again on his feet. Elrohir had a steady grip on his twin's elbow, seeming to be the one supporting him upright. She noticed that the elder twin walked much too slowly, the movement still causing pain to flare through the wound in his back, but she had not expected to see him out of bed for at least a couple of more days.

"Dan!" She breathed out as he carefully sat down on the mattress, taking the spot Lossenel has just emptied for him. His strong arms instantly wrapped around her small frame, pulling her close to him, and she let herself be pressed against his chest, feeling his lips press a light kiss on her temple. She could feel his need to hold her close, his arms pressing her to him as if he would never let go, and did not need to look into his endless silver eyes to feel his worry and anxiety.

"I will go get everyone else." Lossenel excused herself from the room, seeming to be slightly uncomfortable witnessing her moment with Elladan. The younger on the other hand did not seem to have such trouble, casually lowering himself to one of the wooden chairs in the room. But she did not care. Al she cared about were the warm arms wrapped securely around her, seeming so comforting against the vision she knew she still had to tell everyone about.

"How are you, my love?" Elladan's voice whispered in her ear, so low she was sure Elrohir could not hear it. His lips brushed against the tip of her ear as he spoke, making shivers run down her body at his warm breath. "Did you rest?"

"Yes." She whispered in return, moving her head so that she could place a light kiss on his neck before resting her head on his collarbone. She did feel rested, the heaviness she had previously felt suddenly vanishing entirely. Those two days Elrohir had drugged her to sleep had been so necessary. "How are _you_, Dan? How do you feel?"

"Better." She could hear the honesty in his voice as she felt his lips press another kiss to her temple, gently hands toying with the ends on her hair.

"What happened while I slept?" She shifted in his arms, finding an overly comfortable way to nestle herself against his chest, her body perfectly fitting against his.

"Nothing." Once again his voice was honest, but she could hear the faint thread of the same despair that had plagued Lossenel's eyes in the usually musical sound. "We know nothing still. There have been no news from the Palace or from anywhere else. We are not even sure if staying here is the safest option."

"Dan, there was an attack on the Palace. I saw it." She tired to mask the urgency in her voice, but was sure she failed miserably. Elrohir's eyes darted in their direction, silver sharp irises suddenly attentive to their conversation, so much like Elladan's.

She stared directly into Elladan's eyes, which had suddenly narrowed at her news, looking more worried than before, alert. And yet, before she could add anything else the door opened again, four new figures rushing inside the room.

"Rëa!" She heard Legolas exclaim, her eyes flying to meet his infinite blue ones as he quickly sat on the opposite side of the bed as Elladan. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, Legolas." She could not help but smile as she answered, her eyes turning to Tadion as he entered the piece, followed closely by Arahaelon and Lossenel. Tadion's clear blue eyes glared at Elladan as he approached, clearly not pleased with the way the elder twin was holding her close to him, but did not say anything at him. And yet as his clear blue eyes, so much like Legolas', found hers, they softened, suddenly so vast and welcoming, like the warm expanding oceans.

"Did you sleep well, little sister? You gave us a scare, you know." A grin grew in his handsome face as he spoke, his playful eyes sparkling with their usual carefreeness. How much she had missed her brother. Tadion seemed to be completely healed, not a sing of bandages underneath his dark blue silk tunic.

"Sorry about that. I did sleep well, though." She said with a smile, joy building inside of her at the sight of her fully healed brother, even if that meant he would return to glaring at Elladan.

Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Lossenel sitting down on the other chair inside the room, the Crown Prince standing behind her, his hands lightly resting on her shoulders. Her eyes turned in his direction only to find his impenetrable emerald eyes fixed on Elladan's figure, seeming to pierce through him, so attentive and yet so silent, the way a predator watches a prey. The stare only lasted a second, for Arahelon's eyes turned in her direction, seeming to be bale to feel her own eyes on him, emerald irises suddenly soft and gentle, although they remained as powerful and impenetrable as ever, and at the same time so serene, opening only as he smiled at her.

"Rëa, what happened?" Her attention turned back to Tadion at the sound of his voice, all the playfulness gone from his eyes.

"There was an attack on the Palace. Ada is injured, and Doronor is dead." She said, not bothering with details for the moment. She just needed to tell them what she had seen, she needed to know what they would do next.

Six pairs of shocked eyes turned in her direction, not expecting the news she had shared. She could feel the tension floating in the air, grasping at her hair and caressing her skin with its mocking hand, threatening to fall into its imprisoning grasp.

"How injured?" Lossenel was the one to break the silence, her voice sounding scared, although her face remained perfectly composed, her eyes remaining steady. The Princess would not break easily, she knew that.

"I do not know." She wished she had a better answer, she wished she could be able to tell her siblings that heir father was all right, but she did not know for sure. "He had a head wound, and was bleeding, but he was still conscious. Lord Elrond was tending to him, but I did not get to see or hear about his condition."

"So it was my Adar the one showing you the vision." Elrohir reasoned out loud and she simply nodded her head in confirmation. Elladan's arms remained wrapped around her and she felt overly glad for that, his tough feeling like a protective blanket shielding her from her own worry and anxiety.

"The orcs reached the Palace then? There was a battle? What happened?" Tadion spoke again, and her eyes darted in his direction before answering.

"I do not know exactly." She repeated, feeling slightly useless at the fact that she could only deliver news without a full explanation for them. "The orcs did reach the Palace, but they never reached Ada. They were stopped at the entrances, that is what I heard Cunir telling Lord Elrond. I only saw Ada's study, and by the looks of it there was indeed a battle there, but not caused by orcs. I do not know what happened there. There were elves lying dead on the floor, and many more placing guard on Ada. I only recognized Doronor among the dead."

Her voice echoed through the air, but she barely recognized it. It sounded steady, loud and clear enough for everyone to hear, and yet it sounded empty, emotionless, merely reciting facts without the slightest hint of the emotions they caused on her. Whether or not anyone noticed the flatness in her voice she could not tell.

"Then, that battle was among elves." Elrohir added, his eyes not looking at anyone specifically, lost in deep thought. "Doronor had specified there would be an attack that night."

"Doronor knew something." Legolas cut in, his sharp blue eyes looking from Tadion to Elrohir. "And whatever it was, it led him to his death."

"Do you think that is what it was?" Tadion added, as alert as his younger brother. "That the attackers simply killed everyone who knew something?"

"It is a possibility." Legolas said, his eyes turning to look at his eldest brother for some kind of thought from his part, but the Crown Prince remained silent.

"It makes no sense to me." She was surprised to hear Elladan's voice joining the conversation. "Why kill everyone who knew something inside the King's study and in his presence? That would be almost the same as giving themselves away. If someone wanted to kill Doronor and whoever knew something why not do it secretly? Why cause a battle inside the King's study?"

"You have a point." Tadion commented, his clear blue eyes lifting to meet Elladan's. "Unless the battle was not part of the plan. Something could have gone wrong that led to a fight. Doronor did say that my Adar would not be harmed in any way. Either Doronor lied, or his injury was a casualty of the fight."

"Adar resulting injured changes things." Silence settled across the room as Arahaelon's serene and low yet powerful voice floated in the air, getting the immediate attention of every single elf in the room. "Whatever it was the reason for the attack that happened in that study, Adar was not a casualty they could afford. There is a reason why Doronor seemed so intent in insuring Adar's safety first. The moment he resulted injured, it became an attack to the King. That can cause a revolt, it can lead the entire realm into madness. An attack on the King is a direct attack on the realm."

A new iced silence settled in the room, the Crown Prince's words still echoing hollowly inside her mind. Images of the tight circle of guards standing protectively around their injured King flashed through her mind. If there was something she had learned during her stay at Mirkwood was of how loved and respected the great Elvenking was, and how protective the elves of Mirkwood were of their King.

"And what do we do?" Legolas broke the silence, infinite blue eyes staring at his eldest brother hopelessly, his voice low, barely audible. She could see the same gleam of despair in her other siblings' eyes, their faces worried, anxious, and she knew exactly why: there was nothing they could do.

"I do not know" Came Arahaelon's soft reply, his emerald eyes not meeting his brother's as he spoke. None of them had an answer, their information on the happenings based only of their assumptions taken from those tiny bits and pieces she had seen n her vision.

"We have to go back to Ada." Tadion spoke, and she suppressed a wince at the flat sound of his voice. She could see the sudden urgency in his eyes, the desolation in his hollow blue eyes, and for a second she felt like a bitter iron clasp chaining her siblings away from their home.

"That would be suicide." Added Legolas quickly, although his eyes did not entirely disagree with his older brother.

"Legolas is right, Tadion." Arahaelon commented, his voice still entirely serene, as if he had all of eternity to speak, and at the same time carrying a command that made it unable to doubt a single one of his words. "We do not know what is happening in the Palace for sure, much less what awaits for us in the borders. Ada will be fine, I am sure there are plenty of healers with him, besides, Lord Elrond is the best healer in Arda. We cannot bring Almarëa closer to where we know someone might be after her."

"But we cannot keep on running around and hiding." Elladan spoke, his sweet voice as commanding as Arahaleon's although she was sure he would not undermine the Crown Prince's authority in any sense. "That is all we have been doing ever since Almarëa reached Imladris. She cannot continue hiding for the rest of eternity. A Princess of Mirkwood hiding around like a wanted criminal."

"I know." Was all Arahaelon said, melted emerald irises looking at her apologetically, as if he wished there was something else he could do, but she knew there was not. There was nothing neither of her siblings or the twins could do.

"Is this place even safe?" Lossenel's voice sounded frail, as if she did not want to speak her fears out loud, although she did not for a second look any less elegant, any less composed. "How do we know whoever is after Rëa will not come looking for us in here?"

"We do not." Said Elrohir, thoughtful silver eyes focused on the plain wooden floor at his feet. "For all we know the attack from the orcs and the one inside the Palace could have been two different ones entirely unrelated.''

"That would be too much of a coincidence do you not think?" Legolas pointed out.

"Coincidence or not it is a possibility, although I doubt it." Tadion added.

"Or one led to the other." Arahelon was the one to speak. "I agree with Elladan in that the battle that took place inside Adar's study was not entirely planned. It makes no sense that the same group of elves that managed to sneak past the guards to choke Rëa and poison me without the healers even noticing would do such a harsh obvious action. Every single elf in Mirkwood will know there are traitors among them now, and the defenses will be tripled now that Adar has resulted one of the victims."

"But then why do such a harsh action? We do not know what happened back in the Palace, there is no way we can simply guess." She could see Tadion dropping his head in his hands as he spoke, looking irritated. The tension in the room cold almost bee seen, crawling behind their backs like a lurking ghost, laughing and waiting for each and every single one of to fall into its despairing hands.

"Do you think Dornor said something?" She was almost surprised to hear her own voice adding out loud, and yet what surprised her most was how steady it sounded, not a single drop of doubt in it. "We were obviously not in the Palace as the attackers had expected. Do you think that is why the killed Doronor? Because he told us? He might have even told Ada something and we do not know."

"That is also a possibility." Arahaelon was the one to answer, impenetrable emerald looking directly at hers, green meeting green in a piercing stare. "Doronor could have said something to Ada. Fear can do many things. Amrudir even dared to shoot you, Tadion. If the attackers suspected that Adar knew something, they could have been led to act harshly."

"Still we do not know!" Tadion had risen to his feet, burning blue eyes piercing through his eldest brother's green ones, who looked entirely unaffected by his younger brother's outburst. "I am tired of this. We can over all the different possibilities for days and still we will not know for sure. I am tired of sitting around and waiting. We have to do something!"

"Do not act without thinking, Tadion." The Crown Prince warned, his voice as calmed as before.

"Well if we continue _thinking_ someone else is going to act and we will find ourselves facing the consequences of simply waiting for something to happen to us." Tadion hissed in return. She had never seen Tadion loose his patience or his seemingly infinite carefreeness and good spirit.

"And what do you suggest we do?" Arahaelon asked, completely untroubled by his brother's ended patience. Tadion's seething eyes burned through his brother, carrying the silence of his unspoken answer. But there was no answer. She could see the ire in Tadion's eyes, the rage at not being able to answer his brother's question.

"I do not know, Arahaelon. But _you_ should also be coming up with suggestions instead of waiting for someone else to solve your problems. We need to do something!" Tadion hissed, his voice so sharp she involuntarily closed her eyes. The tension in the air was too heavy, dragging each and every single one of them into despair.

"You are still an elfling, Tadion. You cannot go around acting on impulse." Arahaelon's voice was still calmed, but it sounded sharp, warning, and for a second she thought Tadion would not dare add anything else to the conversation. Lossenel shifted on her chair, visibly uncomfortable by the argument.

"And you cannot go around doing nothing. You are _Crown Prince_, Arahaelon, behave like it! You never do anything! Ada does everything for you!" She knew Tadion did not really meant his words, but the despair in the room and the lack of information or answers was putting them all on the edge.

"Do not speak of what you do not know." Arahelon hissed, a sound she thought she would never hear. The Crown Prince's emerald eyes burned as sharply as Tadion's, as poisonous and angered.

"Sometimes I think you are simply scared of making any decision for fear that it might be the wrong one." Tadion's voice had lowered, barely audible in its iced ire.

"And what do _you_ know about decision making, Tadion? You always expect me to make them for you."

"Because it is your place." The venom in Tadion's voice matched the iced daggers in Arahaelon's eyes.

"Hold your tongue." Aearhaelon's voice was sharper than before, making her cringe involuntarily in Elladan's arms. "You are nothing but a selfish elfling, Tadion. A child. Stop trying to remind me of my place and learn yours."

A cold humorless chuckle left Tadion's lips, the sound making chills run through her body, and she could feel Elladan's hold tightening around her. Legolas and Elrohir had their eyes fixed on the old wooden floor, looking as if they wanted to flee from the room as much as she did.

"Long live the Crown Prince of Mirkwood." She had never before heard as much venom in Tadion's voice as he made an exaggerated mocked reverence in front of his eldest brother. She knew it was his ire and despair taking control of his, his words coming out without him thinking them, but for a second she wished he would take them all back, would remain quiet. Then his seething blue eyes met his brother's directly, and it was impossible to tell which gaze was the most hostile.

Then Tadion spoke again, his voice so cold it could turn the entire room to ice "You will never be half the King Adar is."

With that, Tadion stormed out of the room, banging the door behind him, and leaving the rest of then in a cold room, the echo of his words still hanging in the air. No one moved. No one said anything. Only Arahaelon leaving the room a second after was the only movement there was for long minutes.

"Is he going to talk to Tadion?" She was the one to break the awkward silence, her head nodding in the direction of the door through which Arahaelon had just disappeared.

"No." Lossenel answered, her green-blue eyes looking directly at hers, her voice gentle, as if she too thought the argument had been entirely unnecessary. "They will not be speaking to each other for a while."

She knew the argument had been pointless, as if Tadion was simply trying to take out his frustration and despair on his eldest brother, choosing to fight as an outlet to not having any of the answers they so desperately needed.

"Do you two also fight like that?" She asked again, looking from Elladan to Elrohir, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"No." Elladan was the one to answer, his voice sounding as if his answer were the obvious one. "I would have kicked Elrohir a long time ago. I would not need words to let it clear I disagree with him. I truly expected Tadion to hit Arahaelon."

Elrohir glared at his twin, although he was unable to hide a smile from his handsome face, Legolas letting out a chuckle.

"He would not have done that." Legolas explained, visibly looking more relaxed as the tension in the room slowly eased. "Tadion will not hit Ar. Had it been me, we would have been kicking and punching each other since the beginning of the argument, but never with Ar. And that is partially because Ar has never hit him. He has never hit any of us."

"I will go see they are not still arguing." Lossenel said before silently exiting the room, leaving her with Legolas and the twins.

She did not know for how much longer they would stay in this town of men, but eve she was starting to feel the despair and need to do something. The lack of information and answers was slowly consuming them. She felt stranded, unable to move, unable to go anywhere. She could no longer hear Vilya in the wind, could no longer feel its power rushing through her veins, calling to her to succumb to it. And yet, what shocked her most was that she found herself hoping for the ring to call to her, to be pulled into another vision that could give them more information, or something that could help them decide on what to do.

"Let us go get some fresh air." Elladan whispered in her ear, and she placed a quick kiss on his cheek before standing up from the bed and carefully helping him to his feet.

Elrohir rose immediately to his twin aid, once again grabbing him by the arm to help him remain steady on his feet as she took hold of Elladan's other arm. Elladan did not look particularly happy with the situation, but did not say anything, knowing that he needed the help if he wanted to make it down the stairs.

Their way outside the building was slow, the four of them walking at Elladan's pace. They settled down on a small courtyard at the entrance of the building, watching the men and women on the street go about their day. She could see Lossenel speaking with Arahaleon some distance away, four children circling them curiously, playing at who could touch the ends of Arahaelon's long blond hair first. Neither of her siblings were paying attention to the children, acting as if they were not there, but she could not help but chuckle lightly at the sight that every time a child would stretch his hand up to touch his hair, the Crown Prince would suddenly move his head to the side, making the task impossible for the child.

She felt Elladan's hand wrapping over hers, his fingers toying with the gorgeous engagement ring on her third finger. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm instinctively wrapping around her. Elrohir and Legolas were lost in a conversation of their own, and honestly she did not feel like making small talk with anyone but Elladan at the moment.

"So, are we having a small or big wedding?" Elladan's voice was low, his silver eyes sparkling playfully as he spoke, clearly attempting to distract her from her misery, and as usual he succeeded to place a smile on her face.

"Small." She laughed lightly, the sole mention of her wedding to him making her stomach flutter in joy.

"Of course, my love." She heard him say in return, feeling his head resting over hers, the sound of his voice muffled by her hair. "We _only_ have to invite all of Imladris and all of Mirkwood to it. I do not think you can possibly go smaller than that."

She laughed, turning her head just in time to receive a gentle kiss on her lips.

"If you already know it is going to be a big wedding, then why do you ask me?"

"For the fun of it." He grinned as he spoke, and for a second she wished she was already married to him, already his wife. She could not care less about how many elves attended the wedding as long as if by the end of it she was Elladan's for the rest of eternity.

Then, suddenly Elladan turned pale, all color draining from his face unexpectedly and she felt his body tensing sharply next to her. She nearly jumped in alarm, her eyes quickly turning to look at his face.

"Dan?" She asked urgently. "What is it? Are you all right?" Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elrohir turning his eyes quickly in his twin direction, catching the alarm in her voice. Then, much to her puzzlement Elrohir laughed. A joyful, mocking laugh.

She could not understand what was happening, and she searched in Elladan's face again, still feeling a dreadful worry building at the pit of her stomach. Elladan's silver eyes were not looking at hers, but instead were fixed on something else, looking wide and fearful. She instantly followed the line of his gaze, desperate to find the cause of his sudden tension, and she did not know if to be angry or laugh like Elrohir when she did. There, on the opposite side of the narrow street from them, was a tiny grey mouse.

"You cannot be serious, Dan" She said, unable to contain a mocking chuckle. She knew he was deadly scared of mice, he had told her previously, but somehow, watching him go entirely pale at the sole sight of the harmless creature resulted all too funny for her. His silver eyes flashed in her direction, glaring at her briefly before focusing once again on the mouse, as if expecting it to suddenly jump in his direction.

"Dan, it will not come this way. It is really far away, can you not tell?" She tried again, unable to contain her light chuckles.

"I still do not like it." He muttered, but he somehow managed to remain sitting where he was, the only sign that he was deadly scared were his eyes watching the mouse carefully. She laughed again, unable to contain herself at the sight of an elven warrior like him feeling threatened by a tiny harmless mouse.

Elladan glared at her again, but quickly tensed further as the mouse suddenly rushed in their direction, turning a sharp turn to the left before disappearing through a creak on a stone wall. She laughed harder, watching Elladan visibly relax as the mouse disappeared from their sight.

"Sorry." Elladan mumbled, his silver eyes narrowed at her, although she could see them sparkling with glee at her laughter.

"Sorry for what, my love?" She said between chuckles. "This is the most hilarious thing I have seen in a long time." His lips met hers suddenly, silencing her with a long kiss.

"Look." Their moment was cut short by Elrohir's sudden words, and she quickly turned her head to find his silver eyes focused on something along the street. Legolas' eyes were also focused in the direction Elrohir pointed, and she could see Arahaelon and Lossenel turning their heads in the same direction some distance away.

Approaching at a fast pace through the narrow street was a large group of riders, the sound of the horseshoes drumming on the stone becoming louder and louder. She could see people moving quickly out of their way, Arahaelon quickly scooping up one of the children who had just stepped into the street. And yet what surprised her most was not the large number of the riders or the unexpected way in which they had appear, but their long velvet cloaks, all of them in a very familiar dark green color, their hairs, ranging from the darkest of browns to the lightest of golden, falling long behind their backs, braided in the style of the warriors. These were not men. They were elves, and warriors judging from their armors, bows and swords.

She noticed that Arahaelon had raised a hand, the movement so light and effortless, and yet immediately calling the attention of the approaching warriors who stopped their horses in front of them. The Crown Prince quickly placed the child he had been carrying back on his feet, the little boy running away to hide near a man standing not too far from them. For the first time her eyes caught sight of the flag one of the riders at the front had been carrying, the elegant cloth dancing freely at the wind. It carried the emblem of Mirkwood.

"My Lord Arahaelon." The one who seemed to be the captain greeted, bowing his head respectfully as the rest of the elves imitated him. She could see men and women standing attentively at the sides of the street, curiously watching the most unusual scene happening right in front of their houses.

"Where are you headed?" Arahaelon's serene voice asked, looking every inch the Crown Prince he was. Without her even noticing she found herself following Legolas and the twins to stand next to Arahaelon and Lossenel, some of the warrior's eyes observing them surprised.

"Back into Mirkwood, Your Highness." The captain informed, handing Arahaelon a neatly folded piece of parchment. She saw her eldest brother quickly opening it, his emerald eyes rushing through the neat elvish characters scripted on the yellowish paper.

"It is an order for all the patrols and troops outside the borders to return to the Palace." She heard Legolas whispering, puzzled eyes lifting to meet the captain's deep green ones. He had moved behind Arahaelon to be able to read the missive from behinds his eldest brother's shoulder.

"When did you get this?" Arahaelon asked, the captain's eyes quickly focusing on the Crown Prince once again.

"Yesterday, my Lord, although we do not know the reason for such order."

Arahaelon nodded his head once, every single one of his movements so graceful, so royal. Legolas' infinite blue eyes had once again fallen on the piece of parchment held open in his brother's hands, reading it for a second time. She could see Lossenel imitating her younger brother, her stunning eyes running over the neatly drawn letters.

"Signs Cunir." Lossenel's delicate finger travelled to the end of the message, where a curly signature rested next to the royal seal. "That means…"

"It means that Adar is not able to sign himself." Legolas finished his sister's thoughts, and she could not help but directing her gaze at the ground, feeling once again useless.

"I am going back with you." Arahaelon said, his impenetrable yet serene green eyes turning to look at the captain. She half expected Lossenel to protest, or Legolas to try to convince his brother otherwise, but neither said anything, and she knew perfectly well why. They did not know what was happening back in the Palace, but what they did know was that there was no one to take charge of the situation. The Elvenking was injured, his children far from the borders and the most trusted advisor dead. She knew Lord Elrond was still there, as well as Glorfindel, but neither of the powerful Elf-Lords would make decisions for a kingdom that was not theirs, they could only help and offer their opinions.

She barely noticed Lossenel quickly leaving to return a second later bringing Arahaelon's horse with her, or Legolas saying something quietly to his eldest brother. She only partially returned to her senses as Arahaelon's piercing green eyes met hers, looking at her apologetically as if asking forgiveness for leaving their side, but she knew that his duties to his people were far more important at the moment than his mission of hiding her. He did not say a single word as he swiftly jumped onto the back of his horse, nodding at them once in farewell before setting out for a run, placed at the head of the long line of warriors who instantly imitated him, following their Prince back into their lands…

Here is chapter 27! It's a little bit longer than the last one, and I hope it makes up for the wait! I will update as soon as I can!

Again, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! I can't really thank you enough! And can't tell you how much your comments have made my day! GettingLoki'd, Martine9295, Jibril-Kadamon, Coco99, world-classgeek, Paperlanterns86, Wtiger5, Danda225, Kirschflower, don't repy to my, wonderpanda10, The Lead Mare, Mary Elrondile, booklover1598, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, CalathielKat, AmazingWriter123, Elves are awesome, and CeffylGwyn.

Love,

Elena


	28. Point of No Return

The black sky blanketed over the small town, the stars covered by murky grey clouds. It would rain tonight. The faint silver light of the Moon shone dimly behind the foggy mantel, as if begging for her presence to be remembered on this starless night. She sat on the stone steps outside the building at which they had been staying, Elladan sitting silently beside her, watching as the narrow streets slowly started to vacate, the little windows in the crammed houses starting to glow with yellow canddle-light.

It seemed that nothing had happened since Arahaelon had left with the riders from Mirkwood. No one had said anything. Tadion had still not returned since his fight with the Crown Prince, and she was not sure if he die even know that his eldest brother was no longer with them. Elrohir and Legolas had headed inside the tavern that composed the ground floor of the building once the sun had started to go down in the horizon, seeming to find distraction among the merry men who drank beer and sang loudly.

Elladan held her hand in his, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand. She moved her fingers around his, intertwining her delicate fingers with his slender ones before giving his hand a little squeeze. She felt uneasy, helpless, and she knew he could feel that too, he could feel almost everything she felt, their bond too strong to really be able to block anything from him.

"What are we going to do?" That seemed to be the only question she had been able to formulate as of late, the question that still remained unanswered. She felt Elladan's tender arms circling around her waist, pulling her closer to him in his embrace as she him resting his chin on her left shoulder, his warm breath caressing her skin.

"We will have to leave." His voice was low, gentle, carrying the slightest hint of heavy sorrow that let her know he did not want to tell her this.

She had already known this. She had heard the twins and Legolas discussing their options only some hours earlier, Lossenel watching silently beside her. They did not know what to do, they had no information as to what was happening at the Palace, or whether or not the missive that had sent Arahaelon back to his father was even a real one. And yet all they knew was the riders already knew where they were, and they would not risk that information reaching the wrong pair of ears.

She felt Elladan's lips on her left cheek, placing a tender kiss on her skin there, the gentle touch of his lips making her want to forget everything, to simply stay there in his arms, where she felt safe. She let out a sigh, leaning her weight back against his strong figure, succumbing into his protective embrace, both of them as silent as the starless black sky above.

She could see Lossenel some distance in front of them, surrounded by a fascinated pair of little girls who had not stopped to stare at the stunning elven Princess. She noticed that her sister carried yet another little girl in her arms, balancing her small body on her hip as the child curiously poked at her pointed ear. The snowy Princess seemed distracted as the children kept touching at the fine silk of her dress or sliding their curious fingers through her long platinum hair, letting out a bell-like laugh at their innocent questions. 'Are you a Princess?' 'When I grow up I want to have hair as long as yours' 'Are you real?' 'You are an elf, aren't you? My mommy told me I would most probably never see one.' And yet, she did not miss her sister's iced green-blue eyes constantly turning vacantly in the direction in which they had last seen Arahaelon disappear with the large escort of riders, as if expecting her eldest brother to suddenly appear there again.

"How are you two doing?" Elrohir had suddenly appeared behind them, sitting down on the cold stone steps next to his twin. Suddenly, under the pale silver moonlight they looked more identical than ever, perfect copies in the silence of the night.

"Well, you I already know." Elrohir added as his silver eyes met his brother's identical pair. "How are you, Rina?"

Her eyes looked up to meet a kind pair of silver eyes, the ones that were always open, always smirking, as patient as the cool night. She could not help but smile at the younger twin. She did not know how he did it, but Elrohir carried a calming presence with him wherever he went, lightening the heaviest of airs with his sole voice.

"I am good, Ro." She answered, not really knowing what else to say. "How are you? Where did you leave Legolas?"

"Inside, showing men not to challenge an elf to a drinking game." Elrohir's eyes gleamed in a smirk as he looked at her, and she let out a light laugh, leaning her head back on Elladan's shoulder. Elladan too let out a musical laugh, his silver eyes meeting his twin's equal pair. It was in moments like this one, when the same sparkle gleamed inside the brother's silver eyes, the two of them looking as if they were the same, that she wished she could understand the depth of their bond.

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted when the plain wooden door of the tavern was suddenly swung open, revealing three rather drunk men who strolled outside in the middle of a loud song. She laughed and shook her head, watching the merry men as they spilled whatever it was they had been drinking all over the entrance.

"Hey!" One of the men, one with a rather dirty reddish beard exclaimed as his eyes turned in their direction. "Why are you three not inside!"

The other two men, one short man with a large belly and the other a tall dark-haired man that looked plainly ordinary, turned their direction as well, forgetting the rest of their song.

"Yes!" The short man exclaimed, suddenly dropping himself next to Elrohir and wrapping on his dirty arms over the younger twin's shoulders, as if they were closed friends since childhood. "Come inside! Let's have fun! You look like you could use a drink!"

Elladan burst into laughter at his twins' slightly disgusted expression, the latter trying to escape the man's alcohol reeking breath. However, Elladan's laughter was cut short as another of the men- the one with the reddish beard- dropped to sit next to him.

"Yes! Why don't you come inside? We'll order another round!" The man told Elladan- well rather yelled at him- looking overly excitd about his new idea. She tried to suppress her laughter. The twins, on the other hand, did not look even half as excited as the three men.

"Yes." She said quietly as she turned in Elladan's arms to be able to look into his liquid silver eyes, her own green ones grinning mockingly. "Why do you not go inside?"

Elladan narrowed his eyes at her, his lips twitching up in an accusing smirk. However, their stare went unnoticed by the men who had suddenly noticed her presence.

"Yes! Beauty is right! Come inside with us!" The dark-haired man added cheerfully, swinging his arms in content and spilling whatever was left of his drink right on Elrohir's tunic.

"And who is this beauty here?" the red-bearded man next to Elladan questioned, and she felt the elder twin's arms tighten reflexively around her before answering.

"My wife" Elladan lied instantly, leaving no space for further arguments or questions about her. She laughed slightly at the situation, although her heart filled with incomprehensible warmth as he referred to her as his wife.

"I understand." Said the red-bearded man, letting out a loud laugh. "I wouldn't want to go anywhere either if my wife looked like that!"

"Hey!" The dark-haired man suddenly exclaimed, his eyes darting from Elladan to Elrohir and looking as if he had not heard the entire last part of the conversation. "They're identical!"

That made it, she burst into laughter, leaning back against Elladan's chest as the latter wrapped his arms more securely around her.

"What brings you elves here to this town?" The man with the red beard change the subject of the conversation, casually resting his hand on Elladan's strong shoulder.

"Yes, tell us!" Said the short man from Elrohir's side. "We don't get many elves here. Haven't seen a single one since that blonde one came."

"Yeah, I remember seeing him." The red-bearded man added thoughtfully, suddenly speaking directly to his friend. "Pretty thing he was. Blond hair, really dark blue eyes…didn't speak much though…looked kinda scary."

She was suddenly newly interested in the conversation, and by the change of look in the twins' silver eyes, she could tell they were too. So the men here had seen other elves travelling through this town. Not that it was strange they did, but still it sounded slightly unusual. What else could these drunken men tell them? What else had they seen that they were so willing to share in their merry drunken state?

"Do you know his name?" Elladan asked the man, his silver eyes looking casual, a playful smirk in his face making him look as if he was merely enjoying the conversation with the men.

"Nah, he didn't say it." The man answered, looking overly excited to have gained one of the twin's attention. "He came alone. Poor thing must've been bored out of his mind! He left within a day!"

Alone? That word did not miss her attention. Elves did not usually travel alone. She knew it very well could have been an elf taking a short break to rest in the middle of his long journey. It could have been anyone, really. And yet, she was now curious as to know more. It was indeed rare for an elf to be travelling alone. Even messenger elves usually travelled in pairs.

"How long ago was this?" Elrohir inquired, looking as casual and barely interested as his twin, although she could see the same curiosity sparking concealed in his silver eyes.

"Can't remember really." The red-bearded man answered, looking as if trying to decipher a very hard problem inside his head. After a couple of short seconds he seemed to give up for his expression turned merry again, seemingly forgetting about the topic. "Anyway, he's gone! But you three are still here! Come and let's have a drink!"

"Yes! Come!" The other two men cheered in unison, the short man pulling Elrohir up to his feet. Well, Elrohir did really rose on his own, but let the man believe that he had pulled him up. There was no way that drunken short man could have possibly be able to move Elrohir an inch if the latter had not wanted to.

"Yes, why do you not go? It looks like they are having fun." She added again, trying hard to suppress another laugh as her mocking eyes turned to meet Elladan's silver gaze again. Once more Elladan narrowed his eyes at her. Oh, what she would give to watch the twins interacting with a bunch of drunken men.

"Yes, master elf!" The short man added merrily. "Listen to your wife! Come have a fun with us!"

She laughed again, and out of the corner of her eyes noticed a very familiar blond figure standing some feet behind them. Legolas had walked out of the tavern, no doubt after noticing the loud conversation and insistence of the men. His handsome face was adorned by a playful grin, and as he shook his head lightly as his infinite blue eyes caught hers.

"I think I will stay here." Elladan said politely, trying to get away from the man who was now pulling him to his feet. The elder twin also rose to a standing position, and she imitated him, unable to contain her chuckles.

"Oh, you will miss all the fun." She added, her green eyes once again mocking his, and she saw his lips curve up in a grin. She heard the men continue to insist, siding with her automatically.

"_What are you doing?" _ Elladan's playful voice echoed inside her head, his amused eyes looking at her suspiciously.

"_Nothing. Simply enjoying myself." _ She replied. _"Go have fun with Ro. There is nothing we can really do right now."_

He let out a defeated laugh, shaking his head slightly at her. They both knew they still had to wait until the depth of night had swallowed the small town, and until everyone was peacefully asleep to slip out unnoticed. Right now there was nothing they could do but wait.

Elladan looked as if he was about to protest, but she spoke inside his mind before he could say anything else. _"I will be fine. I will stay with Legolas." _

His silver eyes gazed behind his shoulder, for the first time noticing the presence of the young Prince behind them. He seemed more at peace afterwards, and just for a second she thought he would finally give in.

"Very well." He added in a low voice, his liquid silver eyes staring deeply into hers, swallowing entirely in their endless depths. "Let me know if you need anything."

She nodded her head, placing attender kiss on his right cheek before he turned again to face the men, joining Elrohir who was already walking back inside the tavern, a sheepish grin on his face. The twins would definitely have fun with the men, she knew it.

"Oh! I forgot to mention." She called just as the men turned to head back inside the tavern, eager to celebrate merrily with the identical elves. "It's their birthday!"

"What! Why didn't you say anything before!' The men exclaimed loudly, swinging their arms around the twins cheerfully. "We have to celebrate!"

"Let's have a drink!" Another of the men cheered.

Elladan's eyes turned in her direction, looking at her accusingly, as if she had betrayed him, and yet she did not miss the mischievous sparkle gleaming in their silver depths, a disbelieved grin in his lips. The twin's birthday had been a couple of days ago, bot there was no need for the men to know that today was not really their birthday. Besides, even though elves did not celebrate birthday, she was very well aware that men did, and now at least the twins would be entertained for some hours.

She stood there laughing, watching as the identical twins were nearly dragged inside the tavern, Legolas walking to stand beside her. Her brother sat down next to her, watching Lossenel as the snowy Princess carefully handed a now sleeping little girl into her mother's waiting arms.

"Do you know where we will be leaving once we depart tonight?" She broke the silence, her low voice echoing softly in the gentle grasp of night.

"I do not know." Legolas said with sigh, his infinite blue eyes searching hers. "Sometimes I think this is a pointless run. Is it ever going to end?"

She did not answer, for that was precisely the same question that had plagued her mind for the last couple of days. What if it never end? Would she have to keep on running her entire life? Living hidden under a false name, just as she had spent her entire childhood? Would her siblings eventually get tired of having to run with her and would return home to their father and their people, letting her disappear once again? And what about Elladan? Would he too run with her? Did he not miss his own home? It made her want to scream, want to yell at something. And yet, she remained sitting there quietly, waiting the hour to come in which they would once again get their horses and flee. But that was all she knew how to do, right? Flee.

At that moment her eyes caught sight of a lone tall figure appearing silently in the night, approaching slowly through the narrow empty street. Long golden hair looked ashen underneath the pale moonlight as the tall figure of her older brother slowly made his way to where Lossenel stood, the Princess' ice green-blue eyes looking at him expectantly. Beside her, Legolas had lifted his eyes, his thoughts also centered upon his approaching brother.

Tadion's arms wrapped around his older sister's small body, the latter wrapping her own delicate arms around him in return. Neither Tadion nor Lossenel said anythgn as they made their way to where she and Legolas sat, the snowy Princess still keeping one arm comfortingly around her brother's larger body.

"Where were you?" Legolas gentle voice asked his brother, rising up to his feet to be bale to look at him directly in the eyes. Tadion's clear blue eyes did not look angry anymore, they were gentle once again, as open and soothing as ever. And yet, there was a faint glint of regret dancing the depth of his sky blue eyes.

"Nowhere in particular." Was his answer, his voice soft although she did not miss in it the same thread of regret and guilt that stained his endless eyes. His eyes turned to her, smiling softly for a moment before he once again focused his attention on Lossenel. "Where is Ar? I need to apologize to him."

Lossenel lowered her eyes to he ground, a gesture that did not go missed by Tadion, whose clear blue eyes looked suddenly confused. She felt a pang inside her stomach, suddenly remembering that Tadion did not yet know his eldest brother was no longer with them.

"Does he still not want to talk to me?" Tadion asked, suddenly sounding like a reprimanded elfling, asking for forgiveness where he knew he would receive none.

Lossenel did not answer, her eyes simply lifting to meet his brother's clear blue ones apologetically.

"He is still angry with me is he not, Lossie?" Tadion pressed, his voice soft, guilty. "I did not mean what I said. I should not have said any of that to him."

"Ar knows you did not mean your words, Tadion." Finally Lossenel spoke, her voice sounding comforting. "He is not angry with you."

"Do you know where he is?" Tadion asked again, not seeming to fully believe his sister's words. "I still need to apologize to him. I need him to forgive me." Her brother's clear blue eyes searched behind his sister and through the windows of the building they had been staying at, as if almost expecting to find the Crown Prince's from behind one of the crystals.

"Tadion." Lossenel started, her voice sounded defeated. Her older brother seemed to have caught the tone in his sister's voice for the look in his eyes changed as he gazed at her. "Arahaelon left."

Tadion looked stunned for a second, his eyes searching into his sister's crystal ones, as if not fully understanding her words. The Prince shook his head slightly, seeming confused. "When is he coming back? I will wait for him here."

"He is not coming back." Legolas spoke, his infinite blue eyes turning to meet his brother's equal pair. Tadion seemed stunned once again, as if he did not wish to believe what he had just heard. His clear blue eyes darted to Lossenel, yearning for his sister to say that Legolas had been wrong, and yet the apologetic look in the Princess eyes seemed to confirm Legolas' words.

"What?...Why?" The hopeless gleam that floated inside Tadion's stunned blue eyes made her immediately look at her feet. "Lossie, where did he go?"

"Back to the Palace." The Princess' sad iced green-blue eyes met his brother's as if trying to sound comforting. "A few hours after your argument, warriors from Mirkwood showed up. They were heading back to the Palace under orders from a missive signed by Cunir."

"Cunir?" Tadion interrupted her, once again looking confused. "Adar is in no condition to sign then?"

Lossenel's silence seemed enough for Tadion to understand the unspoken answer the to his question, and the Princess simply continued her tale. "Arahaelon left with them. He is needed at the Palace more than here. Specially if Ada is no condition to even sign."

"But…" Tadion started, seeming to be at a loss. She could easily see he was troubled by his eldest brother unexpected departure, and she knew she too would have felt terrible if she had fought with one of her siblings and had not been given a chance to apologize afterwards. "But how does he know the missive is even real?"

"It was Cunir's signature, there is no doubt of it." Added Legolas softly, but that did not seem to tranquilize Tadion. "Ar can take care of himself, Tadion. You know he needed to return to Mirkwood. If something were to happen, he is the one our people will follow."

"But if the warriors came here, then…"Tadion stopped midsentence, reading his next words in Lossenel's sad eyes.

"Yes. We are leaving tonight. We will not take any chances of us being found. We still do not know if anyone is looking for us or if the Orcs will track us." Legolas was the one to speak, and she lifted her eyes to look at Tadion's tortured ones. Her heart sank to her stomach. She could tell that he understood that once they left, Arahaelon would no longer know where to find them.

"I should have apologized to him earlier." Tadion muttered as he walked past them, not even looking back. His voice sounded troubled now, angered, but it was a kind of anger that was not directed at anyone specifically.

"Tadion…" Lossenel breathed out, but her brother did not listen to her, not stopping his march back into the building.

She stood up, not really knowing why, but her mind simply told her to do so. She did not say a word, simply following Tadion inside. She could feel Lossenel's eyes on her, nodding silently in thanks.

"Tadion?" She spoke as she entered the building, but her voice was drowned in the loud chatting of the men from the tavern. She did not know what she was doing. She had never comforted a sibling before. She had only recently found out she had four! And still, she let her eyes search for him almost desperately.

It did not take her long to find him, already climbing up the narrow staircase that led up tot their rooms. She followed him instantly, ignoring the lustful looks she got form the men in the tavern as she walked through. She knew Tadion was perfectly aware that she was following him, but he did not turn even once, continuing his quick march back upstairs.

She followed him to one of the rooms they were occupying, stopping at the doorway, suddenly not knowing what she would even say. Tadion was sitting in one the two small beds that furnished the room, his head turned away from her.

"Tadion?" Her voice was barely audible, as if asking for his permission to even walk inside the room. She had no idea what she was doing.

Her older brother turned his head in her direction, clear blue eyes easily meeting hers, as open and welcoming as always, even thought they lacked their usual playful sparkle. Tadion offered her a small smile, one that did not entirely reached his eyes. He patted the mattress next to him, and she did not think it twice before accepting his invitation.

"How are you, Rëa?" He asked, his voice gentle as she lowered herself next to him, one of his arms wrapping around her shoulders in a comforting manner.

"How are _you?_" She asked in return, letting her green eyes search into his endless clear blue ones. He remained silent for a moment, and she did not press him, simply offering her company.

"Ar really left…" He whispered, and she was not sure whether he was talking to her or to himself.

"He was not angry with you anymore Tadion. He knows you did not mean it." She said, not knowing what else she could possibly say to make her brother feel better.

"I know." Tadion sighed. She could hear the honesty in his voice, and yet he did not seem any less troubled. "What if something _does_ happen Rëa? What if Arahaelon is walking straight into a trap? What if there is a revolt in Mirkwood, a thing that is very likely to happen looking at the past incidents and the fact that there has been an attack against Adar?"

"Tadion…" She simply said, not finding any more words.

"I have been in one of those revolts before, Rëa." His clear blue eyes were serious as he looked straight into her eyes, consuming her entirely with the shadow of a dark memory. "I know what those revolts can do, how dangerous they can be…the screams…the bodies….the cries…" Tadion seemed to have lost himself in a distant memory, trailing off for a moment before focusing his eyes on her once more. "Whether the missive was real or not, Ar is walking straight into the danger. And the last thing I told him was that he would make a weak King….He will make a great King. Much better than anything I could ever make, or Legolas, or anyone I know. He always knows what to do, how to act, our people follow him without question, I follow him without question…He is my brother! If something happens to him…"

Tadion trailed off again.

"Nothing will happen to him, Tadion." She said, even her voice did not sound entirely convincing. His troubled soft blue eyes met hers, a faint smile curving up in his handsome face.

"How do you know?" His voice was soft, peaceful.

"I…do not." She answered. What else could she say? They both knew there was no way of predicting how things would turn out. Surprisingly for her he let out a single half-hearted chuckle, shaking his head lightly as his arm pulled her closer to him.

"Thank you, Rëa. That _really_ helps me feel better." She could hear the sarcasm in his voice, and yet, even behind his words his eyes seemed calmer, a sparkle of their usual light reappearing in them. Whether her words had been the best ones or not, he did feel better, and that was all that mattered to her.

"There was something else I wanted to thank you about, Rëa." Tadion pulled away from her to be able to look straight into her eyes, his suddenly seeming to swallow her entirely into endless honest oceans, so open and inviting, every single emotion displaying transparently in them.

"That night we fled…Amrudir did not miss his shot." She remained silent, all of her body frozen inside his vast welcoming eyes as he continued to speak. "He was too close to possibly miss. I know you did it. I do not know how, or what exactly you did, but I know it was you who deviated that arrow. I know Ar did not do it, he was too weak…you saved my life, Rëa. That arrow would have killed me."

She remained speechless, the grateful gleam swirling in her brother's infinite eyes swallowing her whole. She had not even remembered the incident with the arrow for the past couple of days until now. It felt strange to have someone thank her that way. She did not feel as if she was really done much.

"I did not do much."

He laughed, a real laughter.

"You did not do much? Rëa, you did everything." His hands gently travelled to her chin, forcing her eyes up to meet his directly. "Ar told me what happened after I passed out in the middle of the battle, when the Orcs attacked us. You also saved us then, do not think we do not know that. So thank you, Rëa."

She nodded her head, again not knowing what to say. She was not good at this kind of conversation, she never knew what to say. He laughed at her again, the sound like a chorus of bells floating in the still air. She knew he could see she was at a loss. At that moment, she wished she could be like him, simply say what was on his mind as easily as he did, to be as open and carefree as he was, as reachable.

She was about to finally say something when a familiar feeling overwhelmed her entire body. Suddenly, Vilya's cries rang loudly in her ears, a familiar pulling sensation bursting into her mind, so quickly it did not even give her time to warn herself. It all happened so fast this time, the familiar presence pushing into her mind so strongly she felt as if she had been smacked hard, her skull feeling as if would break in half. She did not fight it, immediately recognizing the presence that seemed to be pulling her so strongly. She felt like falling, and she was vaguely aware of a pair of arms quickly catching her before her entire vision was replaced by a new set of images.

She was in the Palace. She could tell by the silent tall arches high above her head and long corridor that seemed to extend endlessly in front of her. A lone figure approached at a haste, looking small buy gradually becoming bigger and bigger as it came closer. She did not move, her vision simply watching the approaching elf, as if waiting expectantly.

Her heart skipped a beat in relief as she instantly recognized the approaching figure. Long light blond hair fell down his back as walked at a quick pace, impenetrable emerald eyes gazing directly at her as he came to as stop right before her. It was Arahaelon. The Crown Prince had reached the Palace.

"How is he?" Her eldest brother's serene voice questioned, his face remaining as calmed as ever, although his impenetrable green eyes betrayed a hint of urgency and despair.

"Your father's condition is very delicate at the moment." Lord Elrond's calmed strong voice reached her ears from where she stood, his eyes being the ones through which she saw the scene. "His skull was fractured and there was bleeding inside his head from the blow. I had to perform surgery, but he will recover."

"Is he awake?" Arahaelon's eyes did not betray any emotion at the delivered news. "May I see him?"

"Of course." Lord Elrond's voice was softer as he spoke, almost sympathetic. "He is awake, but mind you he may be slightly disoriented. Be patient, and do not get alarmed if he asks the same question repeatedly. I was just on my way to check on him."

She felt herself turn around, and for the first time she noticed the presence of four guards that had been standing behind the Elf-Lord, guarding a very familiar beautifully carved wooden door. One of the guards opened the door for them as they approached, and she watched Arahaelon enter the room first before she felt herself following the Crown Prince into the King's bedchambers.

The room was dark, barely lit by the frail light of a couple candles, only bright enough to be able to see. The rich wine red curtains had been pulled closed, and a still silence swallowed the elegant room. Three healers were already inside the chambers, standing quietly in a corner, as if waiting for their presence to be needed. She also noticed Cunir standing to one side, two other warriors she did not recognize standing beside him, one with long golden hair and the other with dark brown, and yet the two of them looked oddly alike, as if they could easily be related.

Her vision turned to center of the room, following Arahaelon, and there lying on the overly large bed was the Elvenking resting over several pillows and cocooned in warm blankets, his long light blond hair splattered in silvery strands over the white silk of the pillowcases. Her father looked paler than she had ever seen him, and she did not know what she would have done if she had really been standing in that room. The King's eyes were closed and heavy bandages covered his head, becoming heavier in the spot just above his right eyebrow, where she had seen the large bleeding cut. He looked frail, weak. She absently noticed the head healer, Melnor, sitting at the edge of the bed, carefully dabbing a wet piece of clothing over his King's exposed forehead. The Crown Prince sat down at the other side of the bed and she saw Melnor rise to his feet as Lord Elrond approached, his eyes looking helpless.

"He woke up only minutes ago, my Lord." The healer informed as she made her way towards the bed, sitting down on the spot the healer had just vacated. She watched helplessly and unable to look away as Lord Elrond's hands gently and overly carefully travelled over her father's head wound. A soft moan escaped the King's lips as a response but he did not finch or moved in the slightest.

"There is still some swelling." She heard Lord Elrond adding in a low voice, and caught sight of the head healer nodding out of the corner of her eyes. "Has he spoken?"

"No, my Lord." Came the healer's immediate answer as she watched the Elf-Lords hands now reaching for her father's wrist, feeling for his pulse.

"Mix him a painkiller, but add no sleeping herbs to it." Lord Elrond instructed and she saw Melnor and another healer immediately leave the room to follow the order.

"What happened?" Arahaelon spoke for the first time since he entered the room, his voice calmed yet barely audible as his piercing green eyes turned to look at Cunir.

"We know not, your Highness. We heard the battle and found the dead bodies inside my Lord's study, but we do not know what happened there."

The Crown Prince simply nodded, turning his eyes to focus on his father's still form once again.

"Thranduil? Can you hear me?" Lord Elrond asked in a low, gentle voice, producing a groan from the injured King who did not even open his eyes.

"Can you answer me with words?" The Elf-Lord pressed, finally letting go of her father's wrist.

"Yes." Her father's whispered voice was so weak she was not entirely sure if he had spoken the word or merely moved his lips. With an effort, the Elvenking opened his eyes, confused and glazed ice blue eyes looking at the Elf-Lord for a second before he closed them again, letting out another groan.

"Thranduil, how do you feel?" The Lord of Imladris asked gently, but the Elvenking did not answer, lifting one of his weak hands to his bandaged head. Arahaelon caught his father's hand mid-way, gently clasping it in between both of his before lowering it back to his side.

"Ada, how do you feel?" Arahaelon repeated the question, his voice making the King open his eyes once more. Disoriented ice blue eyes searched Arahaelon's figure as if trying to make out his face among a blur of foggy images.

"My son?" The King spoke, the words barely even understandable.

"Yes, Ada, it is I." The Crown Prince added, still gently clasping his father's hand.

"Thranduil, do you remember what happened?" The King's disoriented eyes slowly turned to Lord Elrond at his question, seeming to be having trouble in focusing the world around him. He looked confused, puzzled eyes dancing weakly across the room, as if trying to recall how he got there. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the rest of the elves in the room looking expectantly at their King, as if hoping to finally to learn what had taken place inside his study.

After a short moment, the Elvenking's dazed and pain- filled eyes met Lord Elrond's again, so that she could stare directly into them. And then, for a split second, the King's ice blue eyes seemed entirely awake, perfectly clear and alert, as if for only that split second he knew exactly everything that was going on around him. The look, however, was gone before she even had the chance to be fully sure she had seen it, her father's eyes once again looking overly exhausted and disoriented.

"No." The King breathed out, letting his eyes fall close in exhaustion, as if only speaking overtaxed him.

"It is expected." She heard the Elf-Lord's voice informing a now alarmed pair of healers. But then, her eyes focused on something else. Faintly, almost unnoticeable, she saw the Elvenking's slender fingers weakly wrapping around his son's hand in return, and just for a fragment of a second Arahaelon seemed to become still, a thing that passed unnoticed by every other elf inside the room.

After a short second, the King moaned painfully again, seeming to sink further on the soft pillows. Arahaelon still clasped his father's hand with one of his, and with the other carefully brush a strand of light blond hair from his father's face.

"Tired" The Elvenking breathed out, not opening his eyes this time as he spoke, and she immediately understood this was the end of the conversation.

"Rest." She heard Lord Elrond's voice saying as she felt herself rising from the bed, before looking straight at Arahaelon, who, oddly enough, had also risen to his feet, placing a gentle kiss on his father's forehead. "Let your father, rest, Arahaelon. He still needs to recover."

"He should not overexert himself." She heard the Elf-Lord informing the healers inside the room as he made his way to the door. "Let him rest as much as possible, only do not give him sleeping draughts. If he falls asleep on his own, then that's fine. Try to coax into eating something, and call for me should anything change."

The healers nodded their heads immediately and out of the corner of her eyes she saw the Crown Prince walking in the direction of the warriors placing guard over their ailing King. She absently noticed one of the healers walking back to the bed, reassuming the task of carefully dabbing a wet piece of clothing over his King's forehead in a hopeless attempt to lessen his headache before Melnor returned with the painkiller.

"Cunir, I will see you in my father's study. I need you to inform me of anything you know." Came Arahaelon's serene yet powerful voice. The dark haired advisor nodded his head instantly, his gentle, honest eyes looking directly at his Prince.

"Yes, my Lord." Was the captain and advisor's answer before obediently leaving the room to follow the Crown Prince's orders. She watched Arahaelon wait silently for Cunir to leave before turning to the other two warriors inside the room.

"Lords Agoron, Aerdan, would you continue to watch over him?" Araehalon's voice was soft as he motioned in the direction of his father, and she saw the two warriors she did not know nodding their heads silently, both of their equal green eyes looking directly at their Prince.

Arahaelon nodded his head silently, and she felt herself following him outside the room, not turning to look as the four guards outside the door closed it for them. She did not know where she was going, but then again she was not capable of deciding such things. She was merely obligated to watch in silence, not really part of the scene before her eyes.

Then, after they had walked nearly all the length of the corridor, Arahaelon stopped, and she found herself stopping next to him. The entire corridor was empty, not a sound was heard. Her eldest brother's impenetrable green eyes looked directly into hers, powerful and yet not revealing anything behind his glassy irises. She had seen that look in his eyes before, the look that told her he knew something and yet did not let her see what it was. It was the same mysterious and overpowering look his eyes had carried on the day she had first seen him, when he had received them in the borders of the forest. And then, as quietly as his eyes, Arahaelon spoke.

"I know what happened. He remembers everything."

"I thought he would." Came Lord Elrond's reply.

And that was the last thing she knew before her vision turned black again, Vilya's cries echoing distantly inside her head….

So here is chapter 28…FINALLY! I want to know….who knows who the two warriors in Thranduil's rooms are? ;)

I can't believe it took me this long to update! My greatest apologies for the long wait! I hope the chapter is worth it! If some of you thought I had abandoned the story, sorry for the scare! I am NOT abandoning the story!

Again, Thank you so so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! I know it has been a while, but I don't know why this chapter took me so long to write: Random, Jibril-Kadamon, The Lead Mare, Danda225, CeffylGwyn, Coco99, Mary Elrondile, Kirschflower, Martine9295, A Diamond in the Rough, booklover1598, world-classgeek, Wtiger5, AmazingWriter123, Paperlanterns86, Elves are awesome, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, wonderpanda10, and my guest reviewer! This chapter is specially for you! I still have to send personal replies to your reviews and I will do so as soon as possible!

Love,

Elena


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